Courage
by Donatellosgirl36
Summary: The guys go on a quest with Donnie's new girlfriend, Katherine, in order to discover the secrets in her past. A battle between good and evil must take place. And Donnie fears he may lose her when it is over. 87-verse, MS3
1. Forgotten Bloodlines

Disclaimer: I don't own the original characters of TMNT.

A/N: A few quick points.

1\. The time frame is 1997

2\. This is the third in a series. Book 1 "The Monster's Sister." Book 2 "Breaking Chains."

3\. The legends mentioned here are a mish-mash of several and are not supposed to represent any one in particular. And I have given my own spin on them too. So, if you believe you've heard of the legend before, it's possible. But not in the way I will render it.

* * *

**_Previously_**

The first man shook his head. "But she's the only one that can open the door!"

"We've discussed this. That is not a certainty. Now, come on."

"No! I won't! The line may be thin, but she's the last one!"

This time the older man narrowed his eyes. "No! We have no proof of that!"

The raised voices had drawn Don from the office. Seeing the rather frightened looks both Katherine and Sams wore, he glared at the two men. "Exactly what is going on here?"

Katherine started to take a step towards him, but the man named Chresal grabbed her wrist. She gave a gasp as she was yanked around. "See!" He pointed at her neckless. "She has all the proof we need! She wears the amulet!"

"Get your hands off her!" Don shot across the room so fast the man gasped as Katherine was torn from his hands and he was thrust to the ground. Don clutched Katherine to his plastron. He growled, his glare much darker now. "Who are you!"

The older man near the door frowned, his gaze fixed on Katherine. "We are the Tijodyn. And apparently we have come to ask for your help in saving our world."

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Forgotten Bloodlines**

"Saving our world? From what?" Don watched both men intently. They were dressed in similar clothing. But the older man seemed much more refined and calmer.

"From a terrible evil being released." The older man took a few steps closer. Don tensed and Sams stepped closer to him. "Please, forgive my companion. He is young and…determined." He shot Chresal a stern look, before returning his gaze to the group before him. "I am Warren Bache and this is Dale Chresal. We are of the Tijodyn, an ancient order that has kept our world safe for many millennia. And you are the last remaining heir."

Chresal got back to his feet. "Which means you're the only one that can open the doorway to Pahway and stop the apocalypse."

Katherine's eyebrows rose. "Me? You must be mistaken. I don't even know who my parents were." She shook her head with a little sigh. "I'm a nobody. I always have been."

Donnie frowned, his arms tightening around her. "Katherine, you know that's not true."

"It most certainly is not. You wear one of the Tijo amulets. And your eyes…" Bache explained. Katherine watched him doubtfully while touching the stone around her neck.

Sams put a hand on Katherine's back in an attempt to comfort her. "What about her eyes?"

"They are a tell. The Tijo heirs have all possessed dichromatic eyes. It speaks of their dual heritage."

"Dual heritage?" Don was still skeptical of what these men were saying.

Chresal turned towards Bache. "Sir, we have no time to explain everything to them here. Plus, this place isn't safe. We have to take her back to the caverns. If we found her, the Tawisect can't be far behind us!"

Bache frowned at his charge, but he couldn't deny that he was right. However, he suspected this turtle creature that was clutching the heir tightly to his chest was not going to make it easy. He sighed. "Chresal is right. She shouldn't stay here. If the Tawisect find her, they will kill her. She needs to return with us to the caverns where we can protect her."

Don glared. "I can protect her just fine."

"You don't understand. The Tawisect will be relentless. You may defeat the first wave, but they will send more and more until they achieve their goal – her death." Bache met Don's eyes and he knew he had not convinced the turtle in the least. He sighed again. "Very well, it seems I must give you a better explanation. Perhaps then you will heed our warnings. But we cannot do that here. This store is sure to be one of the places they look for you."

"Maybe, we could take them to April's." Sams suggested.

Donnie continued to frown, still eyeing the men. "Stay here." He released Katherine, only to urge her and Sams into the office. He still did not trust these men fully, but if Katherine was in any kind of danger, he needed to know as much as possible.

Katherine rubbed her arms, hugging herself. She was just as uncertain as he was. "What should we do?"

"Nothing right now." Don took out his communicator. He needed some backup.

Mikey answered. "Hey, dude. What's up?"

"I need to talk to Leonardo. Is he nearby?"

Mikey nodded. "Yeah, I think he was reading." Carrying the com towards the bedroom area, he spotted his brother sitting on his bed with a book. "Yo, Leonardo, Donatello wants to talk to you."

Leo looked up with a touch of concern as Mikey passed him the com. "Is something wrong?"

Donnie made a face. "Well, sort of." He gave his brother a quick explanation of what was happening.

"Well, we certainly can't bring them here. If they are lying, I don't want to show them where April's at either. Why don't we meet at the corner of Sixth and Peak Street? There's an abandoned garage only a few blocks from there."

"Alright, we'll head that way." The abandon garage was a good idea. It would be a safe place to talk since it had no connection to Katherine at all. Leo nodded, but didn't hang up right away. Don knew what he was silently asking. "We're all fine."

Leo visibly relaxed on the other end. "Good. We'll see you in a few minutes."

They hung up and Don looked up at the two girls watching him with deep frowns of their own. "Let's lock up, so we can meet them." Sams nodded and went to close up the register. Don and Katherine moved to follow, but he stopped her in the doorway. Cupping her cheek, he looked deep into her eyes, making sure she understood the sincerity of his next words. "You are somebody special to a lot of people, Katherine. And you are a very special somebody to me." He kissed her soft lips tenderly. "I love you."

A tear escaped from one of her eyes and he brushed it away. "I love you too." She said with just as much conviction, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "And you're very special to me as well."

He took in a deep breath, pressing his cheek to the top of her head. The moment wasn't nearly long enough. He stepped back and took her hand. "Come on. Let's go meet the others. We need to decide if these guys are telling the truth or not." He led her back around the counter to stop in front of the men. "Follow us and don't try anything funny." He paused for only a moment to put on his hat and coat.

The five left the store and headed to meet the other turtles. Don held Katherine's hand tightly, while keeping Sams close to his side. They walked in silence, but the genius glanced at the two strangers from time to time to ensure they weren't trying anything behind his back. Luckily, it didn't take long to meet his brothers.

When Sams spotted Leo she hurried the next few feet to his side. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as he eyed the newcomers. Both were physically fit, though one was quite a bit older than the other. He suspected they would be able to put up a good fight, if it came to that. "This way. We have a place we can talk."

Bache nodded, while Chresal grumbled behind his back. Raph and Mikey followed at the rear watching the two men. They slipped unseen into the dark garage. Inside, Leo turned to the two Tijodyn. "Donatello explained what you have told them so far." He narrowed his eyes. "But no one will be going anywhere with you until we have a good reason to."

Chresal bristled. "Saving the world isn't a good enough reason for you!"

Bache placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped around him. "I have promised a better explanation. The Tijodyn have been searching for Katherine for the last two decades. Only she can protect the seal. Long ago a powerful ancient evil was locked away. But every thousand years the seal weakens and a door can be opened into a mid-realm that is called Pahway. It is a place between our world and the one where the seal is kept."

"And what does that have to do with Katherine?" Leo asked flatly.

"Only one of a particular bloodline can open the doorway and prevent the evil from being released."

Raph folded his arms with a frown. "And how exactly do ya know it's her?"

"As I explained before, she wears one of the Tijo amulets. They are made by the Tijodyn to help protect the heirs. Also, every Tijo descent has had two different eyes. She is the last of the line and so she must come with us. Our people have taken an oath to protect and serve the Tijo heir. Believe me, we mean her no harm. She must live or the world will die."

Leo looked over at Donnie, who was frowning deeply. He turned back to Bache, wearing the same frown. "This is something we're going to have to discuss. We'll need some time."

Bache looked past the turtle to the heir. _She's small and rather delicate, but any chance is better than none._ "Agreed."

Chresal gasped. "Sir, we don't-!"

"But time is of the essence, the door will only be available for a short time. I can, however, offer the night. Our flight leaves at dawn from the Lucas Private Airfield. If you are not there, then it will be up to us to try and contain the evil." He shook his head despondently. "Which I do not believe we can accomplish." He took the few steps to Katherine, taking her hand. Don glared and growled at the action. Bache would not be deterred though. He met her eyes. "Please consider my words. They are true. If the evil is released, it will bring with it death and destruction to _everyone_, even those you care about." Katherine gave a small nod and he released her hand. "It is my greatest hope that I will see you in the morning. If not, then farewell. Because, this will most certainly be the last time we will see each other."

With that Bache and Chresal left them standing in the middle of the abandoned garage.

Leo finally turned to look at his family. "Let's go back to the lair. Maybe Master Splinter has heard of these people. Katherine, this is ultimately your decision. But for now, I don't think it's wise for you to go back to your apartment."

Katherine frowned, wondering how long "now" was going to last. Don brushed her hair from her face drawing her attention. "He's right. You'll be a lot safer with us."

She gave a slow nod. "Alright, but what about clothes and essentials and things? I seriously doubt Sams' clothes will fit me."

"I can get them for you." Sams suggested.

Leo frowned, but relented. Katherine had a point. Regardless if they went with the Tijodyn or not, she would need clothes and such. "Okay, Sams and I will go get you a few things. We'll meet you back at the lair."

Katherine reached into her purse. "Here are my keys."

Leo smiled a little. "We don't need them. We'll be taking the ninja entrance." As he took Sams' hand, he paused to look at his brothers. "Stay sharp, guys. Make sure you're not followed."

As they left, Don looked around the room. "If we go through the basement, we'll have less chance of being spotted and followed."

Mikey noticed a trap door. "Over here." There were stairs leading down. The four made their way quietly to the lair.

Katherine didn't pay much attention as they wound their way through the sewers. Her mind swirled with all the information she'd been told in the past two hours. The only thing that kept her moving was Don's strong hand holding hers. It was surprising just how fast she'd come to rely on his strength and love. There were parts of her life that she couldn't remember anymore, but she could recall almost every detail of the few months they'd known each other. Perhaps it was because they went so well together – like a key and a lock.

Bache's words echoed in her head. _"….it will bring with it death and destruction to everyone, even those you care about…"_ She couldn't let something like that happen to Donatello, or anyone else. And if only she had the power to save them, she would. Her eyes fell on her and Don's interlocked hands. No matter how frightening the task might be, she knew she could do this as long as he was with her.

Don glanced behind him. Katherine was pale and a bit shaky. He could tell she was upset and frightened just by looking at her. Wanting to comfort her, he came to a stop and turned to face her. She finally looked up at him. Pressing a hand to her cheek, he frowned at the confusion and fear in her eyes. "It'll be alright. I won't let anyone hurt you, I swear. And no matter what you choose to do, I will be right here beside you." Her skin was soft beneath his fingers and her hand warm when she placed it over his. She turned her head to place a kiss on his palm and he couldn't prevent the shiver that went through him.

Her eyes glowed when she met his again. A small smile crossed her pink lips. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"And you'll never have to know, because I will always be here." He pulled her to him, burying his nose in her hair. The scent of sunflowers and vanilla filled his senses, causing the tension in his muscles to melt away. After a few moments, he stepped back. Raph and Mikey had stopped a way up the tunnel, obviously giving them some privacy but still keeping watch. "Come on. At least you'll finally get to meet Master Splinter."

They moved to meet up with Mikey and Raph. Katherine let out a soft sigh. "I feel a little guilty about putting it off for so long."

Don smiled a little. "You weren't putting it off. You've been busy - we both have. Master Splinter understands that."

"Still, I wish we were doing this under better circumstances."

Mikey shot her a grin over his shoulder. "Don't worry, dudette. Sensei will think you're awesome!"

Raph glanced over his shoulder as well. "For once I have to agree with Michelangelo. As much as Donatello has talked about you, he probably feels like he knows you already."

Don blushed, but the comment only seemed to make her smile. She moved closer to wrap her arm through his. "That's sweet. I'd talk about you too, if I had someone to tell." She said softly. Don's blush intensified, but it was accompanied with a large smile this time.

A few minutes later they stepped through the threshold to the lair. Katherine looked around curiously. She was surprised to see how homey the place was. The guys hadn't said much about it, only that it was in the sewers.

"My sons, you have returned." Splinter said from the doorway of the bedroom area.

"Yeah, and we got a lot to tell ya." Raph stepped aside so that Splinter could see Katherine.

She blushed and her hand tightened on Don's. "It's very nice to finally meet you, Master Splinter. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come down sooner."

Splinter smiled. "Think nothing of it. Donatello has explained that you have many obligations. But it is good to finally meet you as well, Katherine." Splinter gave a small bow, then he looked at the three turtles. "Where is Leonardo?"

"He should be back soon. He and Sams had to stop by Katherine's apartment to get some stuff." Mikey flopped on the end of the couch.

Splinter's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Well, that has to do with what we need to talk to you about." They settled on the couch and chairs as Donnie explained the events of the evening and the two strange men. Leo and Sams arrived near the end of the story with a duffle bag full of Katherine's things.

Splinter frowned, rubbing his chin. "Many cultures believe there was some type conflict between good and evil in the beginning. Usually there is some truth in myths with such similarities. I have never heard of the Tijodyn, but it is possible for such a group to exist. Do you believe this story to be true?" He directed to no one in particular.

Raph shook his head. "I'm not sure. I mean they seemed legit on the surface, but I don't fully trust 'em."

Leonardo nodded. "It did feel like they were hiding something. But I don't know why they would insist they need Katherine, if their story isn't true."

Sams shook her head beside him. "I don't know, the only proof they gave for Katherine being this heir is kind of thin. Saying she's the heir just because of her necklace and her eyes is pretty weak."

"I think they're telling the truth. At least most of it. I didn't get any bad vibes from them." Mikey told them.

Splinter looked towards his genius son. "Donatello?"

He leaned forward with a frown. "I'm not certain. I haven't had time to check out their story. There does seem to be a lot of holes in it though. But like Leonardo said, why would they insist they need her, if there wasn't some truth to it." He shook his head. "A part of me still doesn't trust them though." Beside him, Katherine placed a hand on his shell.

Splinter measured the young woman. In the little time since he'd met her, he'd found her thoughtful and kind with an open mind. "And what do you believe, Katherine?"

Don sat back as she started to play with a length of her long hair, a nervous habit he'd noticed a long time ago. "I honestly don't know what to believe. But what I do know is if I do something and their story isn't true, then ultimately there's no real harm done. But if I do nothing and the story is true, billions of people could die. I'm not sure I can do what they are asking me to do. But if there is the slightest chance that I can help them, I see no reason not to."

Don laid his hand on hers. "It could be dangerous. But if this is what you want, I'll go with you."

"You mean, we'll go with her." Leo corrected with a smile.

"Yeah, you're not leaving us behind, bro." Mikey grinned at the couple.

Raph smirked. "You're gonna need some backup."

Splinter folded his hands in his lap. "Then it seems you have made your decision."

Leo looked around the room. Although his team was still uncertain what they were getting into, they were all determined. He gave a firm nod. "Yes, we have." He glanced at the clock. "There's still several hours until dawn. Let's get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Don waited until the others had left for bed, before speaking to Katherine. "You can sleep on the couch or I could and you can have my bed. Or you could stay with me…if you want." Looking away, he ran a hand across his scalp. "There's not a lot of room, but we don't have any-."

"Could I?" She asked softly.

He looked back at her with a touch of surprise. But his surprise was quickly washed away by her lost and frightened expression. He sighed inwardly. _She's willing to help those people even though she's scared to death. Oh, Katherine, if you only knew how brave you truly are?_ He squeezed her hand. "Of course."

She hugged him, pressing her face into his chest. "Thank you."

He showed her the bathroom and where his alcove was. He was a little nervous as he laid in bed waiting for her to return. It didn't take long for her to reappear dressed in a sleeveless cotton gown that reached her knees. She paused at the end of his bed, blushing. The blush intensified as he stared at her. How had she managed to go from beautiful to drop dead gorgeous in that short a time. Now devoid of makeup and her light brown hair loose about her shoulders, it was much easier to see her naturally lovely form. He realized he was staring when she started to play with her hair. Clearing his throat, he offered her his hand. "It's alright." He said softly.

She stepped into the alcove to take it. As soon as they touched, all the nervousness left her. Smiling softly, she slipped in beside him. A deep sigh left her when his arms wrapped around her. She held on to him, allowing the fear to be chased away by the strength of his embrace. "I love you." She murmured into his chest.

He nuzzled into her soft brown hair. His own heart was filled with trepidation and desperation. He didn't want to lose her. But she had been right, to do nothing was not right. If Bache spoke the truth, then the entire world would be at risk. Which also meant Katherine's life would be at stake. Neither choice seemed fair. He could lose her both ways. _But at least this way, we might be able to help her._ He sighed, clearing his mind and focusing on the present. Katherine was soft and warm in his arms, and her scent was mesmerizing. "I love you too, more than anything."

* * *

A/N: I hope you've enjoyed this next installment in the "Monster's Sister" series. Don't forget to review!


	2. Legends

A/N: Thanks for all the reads! I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

* * *

Sams stomped her foot, eyes narrowed. "I'm coming!"

Leo gripped her shoulders, worry thick in his expression. "No, you should stay here. We don't even know where we're going or how long we're going to be gone. It could be extremely dangerous." His face dropped. "If anything ever happened to you…"

She frowned. "And that's just another reason I should come with you." When his expression didn't change, she set her jaw. "Look, she's my friend too. I want to be there for her." Leo continued to frown, looking away. She gently turned him back to meet her eyes. "Leo, please."

He wanted to tell her no. He should tell her no. But he couldn't. Samantha never asked for much. But when she did, he could never tell her no. There was something in those blue eyes that made him disregard his own good sense. He sighed. "Okay, but promise you'll keep close - at least until we know what we're really dealing with."

She gave a firm nod, her expression serious. "I promise." She placed a soft kiss on his lips. Shuddering, he pulled her tight against him, hoping he wasn't making a big mistake. When he finally released her, she took up the backpack she'd stuffed with clothes.

Taking a deep breath, Leo steadied his nerve. They were all depending on him. He had to remain calm and focused. He turned towards the living room, Sams following just behind him. "Is everyone ready?" The others nodded in agreement. "Then let's get moving. It won't be long until dawn."

They decided to take the Turtle Van, it would be faster for them. Katherine sat beside Don in the back, her head resting on his shoulder and arms wrapped around one of his large ones. She was still very nervous and unsure, but at least she'd gotten a good night's sleep. Donatello's embrace had given her peace for the night. He stared out the windshield, one of his hands resting on top of hers. He'd had a chance to do a quick check of the web for their group. But very little had come up. That only made him more suspicious of the Tijodyn.

The ride was quiet and it wasn't long before Raph pulled the van up into the parking lot beside the small private airstrip. The trip had been way to quick for Don's liking. They could see Bache and Chresal standing beside a plane that seemed prepped and ready for takeoff. Leo and Raph led the way as they began to cross the hanger yard. The two men straightened when they spotted the group approaching. The turtles were within only a few feet of the craft, when a black jeep came barreling towards them. Bullets pelted the ground before them.

"Take cover!" Leo grabbed Sams and sprinted towards the open doorway. Behind him, Don had gathered Katherine in his arms, trying to make for the plane as well while avoiding the onslaught of gunfire. He was having difficulty until weapons fire came from Bache and Chresal. Both had pulled their weapons and were returning fire. It gave Don just enough cover to dart up the short set of steps into the small passenger area. Mikey and Raph entered a beat after him. Leo swept his gaze over the group, making sure there were no injuries.

Outside, their companions were backing inside slowly. Bache met the driver's eyes a moment before he sent a round right into his chest. The jeep swerved and the men onboard began to scramble to get control of the vehicle.

Bache charged inside the small jet. "Get us out of here! Now!" He called to the pilot, who was already doing just that. Chresal pulled the hatch shut, the runway flying by beneath them. The craft gave a lurch as it took to the air.

Don turned to Katherine, who sat beside him. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, just a little shaken."

He frowned at the two Tijodyn as they leveled off. "What the shell was that! I thought you said you could protect her!"

"The Tawisect. They must have been following us." Chresal frowned as well.

Bache gripped the top of one of the seats from where he stood in the aisle. "We're lucky they didn't follow us last night." He glanced at the turtles. "I told you they would be relentless. They care nothing about innocent bystanders. All they care about is their target." He eyed Katherine, his features softening. "Thank you for coming. The world at large will owe you a great debt when this is over."

Leo cleared his throat. "Well, now that we are here, where exactly are we going?"

"Hey, I bet it's like this totally tropical island that nobody knows about, but has righteous waves!" Mikey provided.

Bache gave a small chuckle. "No, I'm afraid not. We are not even leaving the states. We are traveling to the Ute Mountains."

Raph frowned. "Never heard of 'em."

"You wouldn't have." Chresal sat back in his seat relaxing. "They're not really open to the public per se. They're on tribal lands. You might as well get comfortable, it's a seven-hour flight."

"Actually, it would be more helpful, if we knew more about what is going on and what role Katherine has in it." Leo prompted.

Bache frowned. "I would prefer to tell you when we reach our destination. I believe you will understand better there. For now, I suggest you rest. You may not get much of it once we arrive."

Although the four brothers were not happy with this response, they decided it would be best to do as suggested. Chresal snoozed and Bache sat quietly thinking. Except for Mikey, the turtles did not sleep. There was a nervous tension that filled the cabin. Leo sat with his arm draped around Sams while Don held Katherine as close as possible. The genius watched the blue sky with white fluffy clouds pass. He pondered the irony of such a lovely day only leading to a dark future. Katherine was quiet as well, though she did not sleep. There were still so many questions and not nearly enough answers. She felt both reassured and guilty about the others coming with her into this completely unknown situation.

It was early afternoon when the airplane landed and the group disembarked. They had landed in an open patch of dry earth, not in any kind of airport. A large van sat ready with a tanned dark-haired man leaning against it. The man raised a dark brow in surprise at the four turtles. Bache put out his hand grasping the man's. He smiled. "Dyami, how are you, my friend? I hope things have been running smoothly since we left."

Dyami nodded with a small smirk. "Yes, we're able to function without you, you know."

Chresal chuckled. "Let's get moving. I'm ready to get home."

Dyami looked his way, but his eyes fell on Katherine instead. "You found the heir!" His brown gaze jumped between the two Tijodyn.

"Yes, and it would be best to take her to the caverns straight away. We've already had one encounter with the Tawisect. I don't want to risk her further."

Dyami hurried to open the door. "Please." He grinned at Katherine as she climbed in. Don shot him a cold glare of warning as he immediately followed her in. The others climbed aboard and they were off again. Dyami and Bache chatted in low voices as they rode in front seats.

Leo was watching the landscape pass. It varied in colors of greens, reds, browns, and grays. The land rolled in vales, hills, and mountains. And winding rivers snaked across the lower plains. "Wow, it's so beautiful." Sams breathed beside him and he nodded.

The van pulled to a stop in a patch of trees. Chresal got out and stood. "We walk from here."

Mikey frowned. "You mean we still aren't there yet."

"No, but it's not much further." Bache waved goodbye to Dyami as he pulled away.

Raph looked around them. The area barely looked disturbed. "You guys don't get many visitors, do ya?"

"Because the time for Pahway to open is soon, we have been taking many precautions to prevent the Tawisect from finding our refuge." Bache led the way down an embankment. There was no true trail to speak of and the path they'd taken would be hard to track on. "When we do leave and return, we never do it the same way." He stopped and turned towards the wall of rock and for a moment looked as if he had completely disappeared.

But as it turned out there was an entrance camouflaged by foliage and woven straw mats with grass interlocked in them. The group followed as Chresal pushed it aside to enter a rock passageway. The tunnel traveled down and eventually turned into large stone steps.

"Dudes, where are we going?" Mikey followed at the rear of the group. His question was answered as they stepped into a large cavern. They all gasped. Before them looked like a small town. Stone houses built or carved from the natural rock were scattered about separated by footpaths. There were storehouses for food and even a blacksmith. Except for the absence of any kind of animals, the place looked somewhat like a medieval village. To their right was another cavern, but a bit smaller. Men were training, dressed in similar garb to Bache and Chresal.

Out of the people a woman approached, inclining her head "Sir, it is good to see you home and safe." When she lifted her head both she and Leo gasped. Sams frowned, tensing beside him.

Mikey pointed at her. "Hey, it's Lotus Blossom!"

Chresal turned towards him. "You know Ren?"

Raph gave the woman a half-smile. "Yeah, we've met."

Don elbowed Leo, who was staring at her. He seemed to regain his senses, drawing Sams close to his side. "It's, uh, been a long time."

Lotus' gaze swept over Sams. "Yes, I hope you have been well."

Sams' eyes narrowed as her arms wrapped tightly around Leo's one. He glanced down at her and lifted his other hand to cover hers. He caught Lotus eyeing her as well. "This is my wife, Samantha. Sams, this is Lotus Blossom. She was a friend of ours a long time ago."

Lotus barely reacted to the news, only lifting a brow slightly. The truth was she was shocked. Leo had called her his wife as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She could see the attraction, after all she had felt the same at one time. And perhaps still did to a certain extent. But it was a bit surprising that the girl had agreed to be with him. "I hope that you still consider me a friend."

Don cleared his throat, attempting to break the growing tension. "Of course. We have wondered what happened to you. It's been nearly ten years since we last saw you. Have you been here all this time?"  
She turned her attention to Donnie, taking in Katherine at the same time. "For several years I traveled the world helping those that needed my particular skills. Then a few years ago, I encountered the Tijodyn." Don understood, she had continued to be an assassin for hire for some time.

"We explained our purpose and goal to her, and luckily she took up our cause." Bache allowed a small smile. "She has become a valued part of our sentinels."

"Speaking of purpose, you promised us more information once we arrived here." Don reminded him.

"Yes, I did indeed. Please follow me."

Chresal broke away from the group as they entered the village. "I'm going to head home. Jayde will be happy to see me and I will certainly be happy to see her."

Bache nodded and continued to walk through the small town with Lotus beside him. They stopped at an intersection. "Ren, would you fetch Kay and Dawn. I will take our guest to the Tijo house. Ask them to meet us there."

"Yes, sir." Inclining her head, she glanced over her shoulder at Leo before she left.

Sams frowned at her. They may have said she was a friend, but she could sense there was much more to it than that. Leo squeezed her hand and she looked up at him. He smiled, wrapping her in his arms and placing a kiss on her brow. She relaxed as they continued to follow Bache through the village.

"All these people are here because of me?" Katherine wasn't sure what to make of all the people.

"Yes, some have joined us from the outside, but most are born into the service of the Tijodyn." They came to a doorway carved into the side of the cavern. "This is the home of the Tijo family." He turned to look at Katherine once they entered a room with a pit in its center. "This is where your ancestors have all lived. It has been here since forever it seems." He gestured to the pit and they settled along its padded rim.

Katherine fidgeted playing with a lock of hair. She didn't feel she deserved to be treated so special. "It doesn't feel right."

Don frowned, wrapping an arm around her. "I think it's time for the full story."

Leo nodded. "Yes, well past it. And don't leave anything out this time."

Bache sighed as he got comfortable on the cushion. "When the Earth was young and magic and giants still ruled the world, twin boys were born to a prominent tribe. The tribe was one of shapeshifting magical creatures that could be both man and beast. The elders of the tribe declared that the twins were the most powerful of all their kind. The boys were named Tijo and Tawi. They were equal in strength and competed in all things. But the two were completely different. Tijo was good and kind. He put the needs of others before himself, and thus earned the love of his people. Tawi was none of those things. He was crass, underhanded, and selfish. He cared for no one, not even his own mother. The tablets tell us that he slew her in a fit of rage.

"The two boys grew into men, only to grow further apart. They chose to go their own ways, one to the east and one to the west. For some time Tijo heard nothing of his brother. Then one day a stranger came to his half of the world. The man was starved, dirty and beaten. He told Tijo that he had traveled from Tawi's lands. Tawi had continued his selfish, unkind behavior to the west. His lands were now filled with famine, pestilence and giant monstrous creatures which Tawi had created with his magic.

"Tijo was greatly disturbed by this news. He did not like to see any being suffer. So, he traveled to Tawi's lands to face him and see for himself the crimes against man and beast that his brother had committed. A great battle ensued. It is told that the battle raged for many, many days. There was neither rest nor food. Being nearly equal in strength the battle raged until both brothers were near death. Tijo knew that if Tawi were to win, he would destroy the entire world. So, with the last of his strength he trapped Tawi within a mountain and sealed it with his blood. Only a direct descendent of the two brothers can break the seal and release the evil magic locked inside."

"So, is this Tawi guy still alive in there?" Mikey asked.

"No one knows for certain. But the brothers were not immortal. Tijo died using his last breath to seal his brother inside. However, per the tablets, their magic does not fade. It can be transferred from one person to another within the bloodlines. Once every thousand years the doorway to the mid-realm of Pahway appears and the seal becomes weak. Each time the mid-realm door appears, one of Tawi's descendants attempts to break the seal and release the evil magic back into the world. It is the responsibility of the Tijo heir to stop this from happening."

Don stood angrily. "You never said she would have to fight someone!"

Bache lowered his eyes. "Yes, I know. I'm sorry for the deception. But it was the only way to get you here."

Don pointed at him. "You lied to us!"

Leo put up his hand to calm his brother. "What's done is done. We're here now. We need to decide how to deal with this?" Don sat down, but the angry expression did not leave him. Leo could understand. If the same had been done to Sams, he would be equally as angry – if not angrier. He turned back to Bache. "This Pahway, is it a physical place?"

"It is a world between worlds. A buffer between the realm Tawi was trapped in and our world."

As usual Raph was itching for action. He also wanted to protect Katherine. He'd seen how his brother cared for her. "Once Katherine opens the door, can't we just go with her to protect this seal?"

"It has been attempted in the past. But the doorway will only accept those of the brothers' bloodlines."

Katherine stared down at her lap and Don's fingers intertwined with hers. She was no warrior. She'd never even been in a fight. She would have no clue what to do. And although these people claimed she had some kind of magical powers, she had never used them. She didn't even know what they were. In fact, she'd never felt enchanted in any way. Her life was proof of that. Perhaps she was slightly over average, but she had never thought of herself as special. But…

She raised her head to look about those that were surrounding her – protecting her. Then she looked beyond them to the doorway that led back into the main cavern. These people had families and their families had families. Crisa and Devin's faces appeared in her mind. She had taught them to believe in themselves even when no one else did. If the Tijodyn were right, their futures were as much at risk as any other child on the planet.

She took a deep breath. "Then there is no choice. I have to help."

Beside her, Don tensed. "Katherine, you don't have to do this."

Turning to him, she took his face in her hands. "Yes, I do." Don frowned, fear flickering behind his caramel eyes. "What is one life compared to billions? If my life saves the lives of others…. If it saves your life, it will be well worth it and I would willingly give it."

Donatello trembled beneath her hands, fighting down the sheer panic that was filling his heart. Looking into her bicolored eyes, he knew she meant every word. Taking in a sharp breath, he pulled her against. "I don't want to lose you." He said softly in her ear.

She could hear the desperate fear in his voice. It matched her own. Closing her eyes, she gripped him tighter. "You won't." She whispered just as softly.

Leo frowned, seeing the heartache on his brother's face. There had to be something more they could do. He looked back at their host. "How long before this door opens?"

"The door to Pahway should appear at sunrise in three days."

Leo rubbed his chin in thought. "That doesn't give us much time."

Don sat back to stare at him. "Much time for what?"

"To train her."

Don's eyes widened. If they did teach her, it wouldn't be much. But it would be better than nothing at all. "We'll just have to teach her everything we can in those three days." It would at least give her a fighting chance.

Katherine nodded in agreement. Then, she frowned turning her gaze back to their host. "But you mentioned magic and shapeshifting. I'm not able to do any of that."

He smiled. "Yes, you are. The amulet you wear locks away your powers. It was created to keep the magic of children in check, until they were old enough to learn to use it properly. That is the only one left that I am aware of. It was your father's." He watched Katherine touch her necklace absently. "Once you remove it, you will have access to your powers."

Raph frowned. "How's she gonna learn to use them though? Do you have someone here that can teach her?"

Bache frowned. "Unfortunately, we do not. It will be up to Katherine to discover them on her own. In the past there were those that could help her in the process. But the Tijo line has dwindled over the past thousand years to just one." He met her gaze. "It took us decades to find you. Your parents intentionally hid you from us."

Her eyes grew in shock. "My parents? You knew my parents?"

The older man nodded. "Yes, we had a…falling out of sorts. They knew the time was drawing near for the doorway to open. They also knew you would be the one to face the Tawi heir. Fearing for your safety, they hid you amongst the humans. Had you grown up here, you would be thoroughly trained for what is to come. We have served and protected the heirs for millennia."

Katherine was still mulling over the fact that this man knew her parents. Beside her, Mikey frowned. "You mean they took and hid her to protect her?"

"Yes. It was the source of our disagreement. I wanted them to live here where we could train and protect her, so that she would be prepared for this very time." He looked at Katherine again where she sat pale and wide-eyed. "Your father refused. He wanted you to live a simple life, unburdened by the knowledge of your task."

Katherine frowned and Don's hand tightened on hers. When she tried to speak, her voice cracked. "What…What happened to them?"

He let out a heavy sigh, a mournful expression crossing his face. "They were killed by the Tawisect."

Don suddenly had a thought, maybe Katherine wouldn't have to fight after all. "Wait, the Tawi heir would have to be able to access this doorway too. If we could stop them before they reach it, we could prevent them from getting anywhere near the seal."

"We have searched for the other doorway in the past and have been unsuccessful. We live here in order to protect our doorway. I would assume the Tawisect does the same. Which means even if we were able to find their entry point, it will be heavily guarded."

"You said in the past you've looked. Have you looked recently? Today's technology is light-years beyond what it was only fifty years ago."

Bache rubbed his chin. "I'm not certain, but I do seem to remember as a child, others speaking of searching in the other parts of the Ute Mountains. I would have to check our records to be certain."

"But even if they did, that was a very long time ago. Right?" Raph pointed out.

Bache nodded. "It would have been more than four decades ago."

Leo stood. "Then I think it's time to look again."

* * *

A/N: Don't forget to review!


	3. Intervention

A/N: It looks like you guys are enjoying this one!

* * *

Don found Katherine where she had wandered up the set of stone steps to the second floor of the Tijo house. She stared out a glassless window at the village beyond, her fingers playing thoughtfully with the amulet around her neck. Frowning, he touched her arm, drawing her attention to him. "Are you alright? I know this is a lot to take in."

Her eyes drifted to the open doorway of the bedroom. "Is he gone?" He nodded. Bache had left shortly after the two women had arrived to clean and prepare the house. The two were currently doing this to the lower floor. She met Don's eyes. "I feel so uncertain. Everything seems to be moving so fast, I've barely had time to process it all. And this?" She fingered the necklace again. "What should I do about it? Should I take it off? And if I do, what will happen? Even Bache didn't seem to know."

Donnie let out a heavy breath. Her fears were sound. There was no telling how she would physically react to the sudden removal of the restriction on her powers. The magic within her could manifest itself in enumerable ways. And considering it had been subdued her entire life, it could be very uncontrollable. His mind filtered through a thousand scenarios in those few moments. But there were too many variables to predict an outcome. Squeezing her upper arms with warm reassurance, he met her gaze firmly. "Unfortunately, I can't even begin to guess at what might happen. There a far too many factors. But what I can tell you is that you are not alone in this. I am right here and I am absolutely not going anywhere, no matter how your powers manifest themselves." His large hands moved up to cup her face and swipe away a stray tear. "I love you and I am going to do everything in _my_ power to protect you."

Katherine's heart was so full in that moment, it felt like it might burst. "Donatello…" She whispered. It was all she could manage. She had no way to express how deeply his words had touched her.

"As for this." He touched the amulet with a large finger. "I think you should take it off - the sooner the better." When her eyes widened, he explained his reasoning. "You have to learn to use this gift and in three days. There is no time to think on it. You need to trust yourself to keep your magic in check and train it." Searching his caramel eyes, she saw no fear in them. He didn't fear what she was or might become. There was only love and faith. She gave a slow shaky nod. Taking a steadying breath, he lifted the long chain over her head and set it on a table beside them.

Katherine threw herself against him, crushing her face into his plastron with eyes shut tightly. Clutching at him, she trembled even as his arms wrapped tightly around her. Don held her as close as he could and waited for what he wasn't sure. Several long minutes passed and nothing happened. Very slowly her grip on him loosened. Until finally, she stepped back and they shared a confused look.

"Maybe your magic has been suppressed for too long. Maybe it can't surface now."

She frowned. "Or maybe Chresal and Bache were wrong about me. Maybe I'm not this heir they're looking for."

There was a soft knock at the open door. A woman with unruly red hair smiled sheepishly at them. "Um, I didn't mean to interrupt."

Don gave her a small nod. "It's alright. Kathrine, this is Dawn. Bache left her and Kay to make the house livable again."

Katherine gave her a weak smile. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for helping."

The woman's small smile grew into a wide grin. "Believe me, it's an honor to serve the heir of Tijo! You have no idea how long we've been looking for you! Some of our people began to think that the heir was already dead."

Don cleared his throat. He'd already discovered this woman liked to ramble on and on. He needed to bring her attention back to the present. His love was still trembling slightly in his arms. Rubbing her back soothingly, he spoke in as mild a tone as possible. "Was there something you needed? It was a long trip."

Dawn blushed and looked down at the book she had in her arms. "Uh, yes. I brought this for you. It's a photo album. I found it downstairs. I thought you might want to look at it." Her smile returned as she handed over the book. "And may I say, you look just like your mother."

Katherine slowly took the book, her bicolored eyes wide. "My mother?"

Dawn nodded. "You must be tired. I'll fetch the linens for the bed."

She hurried out of the room, not that Katherine noticed. She flipped open the book and stared at the very first picture that met her. A woman around her age smiling up at her. She wore the same light brown hair as her own. Even her body shape matched. The plastic that covered the bed crinkled as she sank into the mattress. She looked up at Don as he sat beside her. "My mother."

He smiled as he looked at the photo. "Now, I know where you get your looks from. She's very pretty."

She couldn't help the small smile at his comment. Despite the roller coaster of a day, she could always count on him to bring her spirits up. She cupped his cheek and kissed him softly. "Thank you for being here."

He rested his forehead against hers. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

* * *

"Be careful guys. We're still not sure who to trust here." Leo stood with Raph and Mikey just outside the house's main door.

"Don't worry, Leonardo. We can handle a little scouting mission on our own." Raph told him. "We'll find that Tawi guy."

Leo frowned. "Just remember, don't try to take on an army. Instead, come back here and tell us what you found out."

"Duh." Mikey rolled his eyes. He and Raph might be a bit reckless at times, but they weren't stupid.

Raph snorted. "Come on, Michelangelo, before we get a lecture." He tugged at his brother's arm.

"Just…just be careful!" Leo called after them in exasperation. Sighing, he turned back inside the house. He caught Sams' eye, where she was helping Kay wipe the dust from the kitchenware. "Do you know where Donatello and Katherine went off to?"

"Upstairs, I think." Sams had seen him climb the stairs after saying a short goodbye and good luck to Mikey and Raph.

Nodding, he started for the staircase, but Dawn stepped off them in front of him. "I think they wanted to rest." She told him.

Leo frowned. "There is no time for rest." He stated flatly as he moved past her. He found Donnie and Katherine seated on the bed in one of the rooms. He moved in to stand at the foot of the bed to see what they were looking at. "Unfortunately, we don't have time for you to get acquainted with the past. The present is more important at the moment. We need to begin your training now."

Don nodded, taking the book from her and closing it. "He's right. When this over you'll have plenty of time to find out more about your past."

Looking away, she frowned. _When this is over, I may not be here._

Leo spotted the necklace on the side table and both his eye-ridges rose. "You took it off already?"

Don nodded. "Yes, I thought it best to release her magic as soon as possible."

Leo couldn't disagree with that. He looked them both over. "Well, what happened?"

Don sighed in both relief and frustration. "Nothing. At least, nothing so far."

Leo's frown returned. She hadn't shown any magic at all? "Hmm, well maybe a bit training will bring it to the surface. Let's get started."

For the next several hours Leo began teaching Katherine the basics of self-defense, while Don stood to the side with a pensive expression. He kept waiting for some change in her, but as the hours drew on it became clear nothing was going to happen. Samantha stood watching as well and the scene worried her. Katherine was obviously not physically gifted in the area of combat. As a matter of fact, Sams was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to hold her own in a normal fight, not just one that might save the world.

Leo sighed as Katherine fell on her bottom again, the training area echoing with her small grunt. Progress had been slower than he'd hoped. But she was trying, he had to give her that. She climbed back to her feet and got back into position without being prompted. Don cleared his throat. "Leonardo, how about a short break?"

The leader nodded. "Yeah, let's take five and get some water." As he walked back to where his brother and Sams stood, he met her blue eyes.

She frowned a little. "She just doesn't have it in her to hurt anyone." She said softly.

He glanced over his shoulder at her, where Don had met her half way. He sighed. "Well, she's going to have to, if she's going to survive this. I have a feeling that Tawi is not going to be nearly so nice."

"How are things going?" Bache and Lotus entered the area.

He shook his head. "I just don't know how much she can learn in three days." Then an idea came to him. "Can they carry weapons into this Pahway?"

Bache nodded. "Yes, the tablets tell us that many of the heirs have carried weapons inside."

Leo rubbed his chin in thought. "That may be our best hope."

Sams glanced at Katherine and frowned. "Do you think she'd have the nerve to use them though? I mean, she's having a hard-enough time with hand to hand."

"Perhaps, I may be of assistance. She may feel more comfortable with a woman as an opponent." Lotus offered.

"Um…" Leo glanced at the couple again and shook his head. "Maybe, but I don't think Donatello would be comfortable with that. At least, not yet." Turning, he made his way back to Katherine. "Ready?"

She nodded, handing Don the water bottle. He squeezed her shoulder warmly. "Just try to relax, okay? Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Don't worry about the future, only the moment."

She gave him a weak smile. "Thanks." He returned it before moving back to the sideline.

They continued to train for the next few hours. And although she was picking up on some of it, by the sixth hour she was completely spent. Her movements were sluggish and attention faltering. Leo decided she'd had enough. He'd pushed her as hard as he could, but he didn't want to push her beyond her limits. "That's enough for today. Let's get something to eat."

Katherine let out a relieved breath from where she laid on the ground. She could barely move. Everything hurt. Slowly she sat up as Donnie came to kneel beside her. Averting her gaze, she frowned. "I'm no good at this. I've spent most of my life behind a desk."

He placed a warm hand on her shoulder with a small smile. "Considering you've never done anything like this before and this was the first day, I'd say you did pretty well." The look she turned on him said she wasn't convinced. Sighing, he offered her his hand. "Come on, things will look better once you've had a good dinner and good night's sleep."

She blushed a little. "I can't."

Now he frowned. "What? Why not? You're not hurt, are you?"

Her blush intensified. "Uh, no. I'm so tired, I can barely move."

"Oh, is that all?" He grinned and she let out a small squeal as he scooped her into his arms. "I think I can take care of that."

A smile finally broke out across her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so lucky to have you." She kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

He started back towards the house. "And the world is lucky to have you. You can do this, Katherine. I know you can." He felt her relax into him and her breathing even out as they approached the front door. She'd fallen asleep on the short walk back.

Leo was waiting for them and he frowned down at her. "She okay?"

"Yeah, just tired. I'm going to take her upstairs." Leo nodded as Don stepped past him and climbed the steps to the room they'd been in earlier in the day. The full size bed was now dressed in clean sheets and a warm blanket. He laid her down and tucked the coverlet around her. Smiling, he stroked a hand through her soft brown locks. _And I'm the luckiest one of them all._

* * *

Raph tossed a stick into the fire with a heavy sigh. They had walked all day, using the scanner Don had given them. But they had come up empty handed. Mikey looked up at the dark sky filled with stars. "Man, I didn't think it would be this hard with that scanner thing of Donatello's." He looked at his brother. "Are you sure you're using it right?"

Raph scowled. "Yes, I'm sure. I did it just like Donatello showed me." He frowned looking around at the mountain range stretching off into the distance. "But he did say, we'd have to be within a certain range though."

"There are many more places the Tawi can be hiding." One of the scouts, a man named Stan, told them.

"Yeah, but we don't got a lot of time, just two more days." Mikey reminded him.

"We can cover a lot of ground in two days, if you can keep up with us." A second scout, Lyn, informed them. He still wasn't really certain about these turtle things, but if the heir trusted them then he had to as well.

Mikey snorted. "Dude, we're ninjas. It's you that's having trouble keeping up with us."

A small smile crept across Stan's face. "We will see tomorrow then. Let's get some sleep."

They all settled beside the fire and after a little while Mikey spoke up again, but softer this time. "Hey, Raphael?"

"Yeah." His brother grunted from not far away.

"How do you think the others are doing?"

"Hopefully better than us." Raph twisted in the sleeping bag on the hard earth. "At least they get to sleep in a bed."

* * *

A/N: Doesn't look like much progress on either end, does it? Review please!


	4. Frustration

A/N: I certainly hope you are all enjoying this one. Things are about to get more complicated for our sweet couple.

* * *

Katherine snuggled a little deeper against Don's chest. She'd told him she felt better with him nearby. Of course, he had readily agreed. And she had slept very well with his arms locked around her. His presence seemed to be the only thing that calmed her nerves in the past few days. His calm spirit gave her strength.

She could feel all the muscles in her body ache with just the little shift in her position. Today was not going to be much fun, not if it was anything like the day before. Frowning, she considered what she'd learned the day before. It was not much in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps today would be a little different. She'd had a good meal last night and restful sleep. Hopefully that was all she needed.

Sighing inwardly, she knew that was not possible. She needed an edge. Something to give her an upper hand. She needed her magic. But it had yet to show itself. Bache had told her that the Tijo's bloodline had thinned over the centuries, mixing with humans. What remained in her might not be enough to manifest itself.

Donatello stirred beside her, one of his hands coming up to comb through her soft brown hair. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out somehow." He kissed her brow warmly.

She shuddered, her fingers wrapping around the edge of his plastron. "I can't help but worry. I keep wondering if they made a mistake. I have no magic and I'm obviously not any good at physical combat."

He let out a heavy sigh, his arms tightening around her. "You've just started training, you won't really know how much you've learned until you need it. As for the magic…" He shifted back to meet her eyes. "I think all we can do is give it time."

She frowned. "That's something we don't have."

"We'll see." He kissed her lips softly. "Remember, you're not alone."

Her eyes glistened with tears. "Thank you."

* * *

Lotus Blossom watched Leonardo sparring with Katherine. The girl had no talent for fighting, that was painfully obvious. But Leonardo was still as skilled as ever, maybe even more so than their last encounter. She watched his toned muscles flex. She could recall the leathery smoothness of his skin and that brilliant smile he used to flash her. She frowned to herself. Things had changed between them. He had married the little blonde. She wondered, not for the first time, what he could see in her. She was a little thing. Lotus easily outweighed her in muscle. She doubted the girl could hold her own in a fight with her.

Lotus couldn't prevent a little smirk from crossing her lips. She doubted things would get that far. She and Leo had enough history that she felt she had an upper hand in the matter. And right now, the girl wasn't around.

She watched as he stopped and suggested a break for lunch. Don and Katherine walked off ahead of him as he took a drink of water. Lotus crossed the space between them, meeting him as he came from the training area. "Leonardo, how is the heir's training coming?"

He glanced at the house, which was not far away, where Don and Katherine had disappeared. He frowned a little. "Not as good as I'd hoped."

"Is there anything I can do?" She stepped a little closer. "I would still be glad to assist you."

Leo shook his head. He'd already discussed the matter with his brother and they both held reservations about it. "No, Donatello said he wasn't comfortable with that. And to be honest, I'm not sure it would make a lot of difference. Katherine is just…" He sighed. "Well, she's doing her best."

Lotus frowned. "You are frustrated, perhaps a walk would settle your spirit some."

A small smile crossed his face, his gaze shooting to the house again. "No, I have better ways of venting my frustration these days." He looked back at her. "Thanks for the offer though. It would be nice to take a look at this village, it's amazing. Maybe when this is all over, you could give us all a tour."

She gave a small nod, her eyes drifting off across the village. "Leonardo, it has been many years since we last saw one another. I have often wondered what had become of you."

"Well, we did wonder about you too. You just kind of disappeared."

She looked back at him. "Do you not think it's odd that our paths have crossed once again? And now of all times."

Leo felt a tinge of nervousness rush through him. Was she doing what he thought she was doing? "I, uh, don't know what you mean."

"We always seem to be drawn to one another when the world is in peril." She took another step towards him, so that they were barely a foot from one another. "The universe seems determined for us to be together."

Leo took a step back with a shake of his head. "Lotus, I don't know what-. "

"Leo!" Sams called from the open doorway. She'd been watching the encounter the last few minutes. "Lunch is ready."

His entire body seemed to sag with relief. "Sorry." He told Lotus as he hurried to his wife's side. The truth was he wasn't sorry in the least. It disturbed him to think that Lotus would really try to pull such a thing, when he'd already made it very clear that he was with Sams. He paused just outside the door to lean down and kiss her softly.

She smiled up at him and he took her hand to go inside. As he turned away, she shot a hard look at Lotus. She knew flirting when she saw it. She'd had it done to her enough. Leo obviously didn't have any interest in her though. Sams smiled to herself as she followed her turtle inside. That was one thing she didn't have to worry about. Leo's heart was a true as they came. But that didn't mean she'd let Lotus bother him either. _That girl had better watch herself!_

* * *

"Still nothing!" Raph growled in frustration. They had made even better time than the day before and covered far more ground. But he was beginning to wonder if Don's scanner even worked. _"It'll pick up any energy signature, even from underground, as long as you are within one thousand feet."_ Echoed his brother's voice in his head.

Mikey settled on a rock. "Let's take a break, bro. I'm starved."

Raph shot him a look, then sighed. "We might as well, it doesn't look like we're gonna find anything today anyways."

"It is only mid-day we have lots of daylight left." Stan encouraged him.

"What's gonna happen if we do find them? If there is an army of them, the four of us aren't gonna do much." Mikey felt a bit like they were on a wild goose chase. But he wanted to help Katherine and if this was the way to do it, then he'd do what he could.

"We're only recon at this point, Michelangelo. Leonardo told us not to engage, just find them and report back. We can decide after that what to do."

His younger brother let out a forlorn sigh. "I hope we can do something. Maybe stop the guy or girl before she can go into the doorway. That way Katherine wouldn't have to fight." He glanced at Raph, who frowned back. "I'm worried how Donatello is going to react, if something happens to her."

"Yeah, me too." Raph took a bite of his sandwich.

The two men with them exchanged looks. "So, it's true? The heir and your brother are a…couple?" Lyn asked tentatively.

Raph's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, it is. What of it?"

Stan frowned. "I don't mean to be crass, but she has a duty to produce an heir of her own. The Tijo line must continue, so that the evil will not be released into the world."

Raph stood angrily and Mikey followed him up, pressing a hand to his chest. "Chill, bro." The eyes Mikey turned on the two men were hard and cool. "Our brother's relationship with Katherine isn't any of your business."

"It is everyone's business, I'm afraid. The Tijo line has to go on. And I don't see how that is possible with a…turtle." Stan replied flatly.

Raph growled. "Why you-!" Mikey had to use a bit of force to keep his brother back this time. Raphael glared past him. "It's Katherine's choice who she wants to be with! And if that's Donatello, then there ain't nothin' you can do about it!"

The two men exchanged looks again. Lyn cleared his throat. "If she survives, she may not have a choice."

Mikey turned fully towards them. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Stan stood, pulling his pack back onto his shoulders. "I suggest we change the topic. We have a mission to accomplish and we should get back to the search. There is still a lot of mountain range to cover." Lyn quickly followed him off.

The brothers didn't move however. Raph clenched his fist at his side. "We need to find these Tawi guys and get back as soon as we can."

Mikey frowned. "Yeah, we need to tell Donatello and Katherine about this." He met his brother's gaze. "Let's move fast."

Raph nodded. "I don't care if these guys keep up or not now. We can't waste any more time." The two shouldered their own packs, exchanged one more look, then took off at a dead run. The terrain might be different than in the city, but for a pair of ninjas that had endured hours upon hours of training since their mutation it didn't make a difference. They left the two humans standing stunned in their wake.

* * *

Katherine frowned as Leo tightened the strap on her forearm. "Now, just squeeze right here." He indicated a spot on the palm of the glove. "It shouldn't take much pressure at all." She squeezed it and the blade sprang out of its cover a good six or seven inches. Her frown intensified. But Leo nodded in approval as he slid it back in place. "You may not be able to fight them off using brute strength, but we can tilt the tables in your favor." Sams handed him a chain, which he clasped around her waist. One end of it had a heavy ball attached to it. "This can also be used as a weapon, if you have no other option."

Don stepped forward, holding a naginata in one hand and a tanto in the other. He handed the spear to Leo and showed Katherine the tanto. "Keep this one hidden too. The less weapons your opponent can see the better." He slipped his arms around her. Lifting the edge of her shirt, he tucked it in her waistband on her back and pulled the shirt back over it.

He moved back and Leo stepped in front of her again. "And finally, this." He handed the spear over to her. She was a little surprised at how heavy it was. "I believe it's best, if you keep your enemy at a distance."

She blinked at him. "But I don't know how to use this."

Leo gave her a small smile. "Donatello will show you some basic moves. His specialty is the bo, after all."

Her eyes drifted to Don and he gave her the same small smile. He stepped forward, adjusting her grip. "Try to keep it balanced in your hands. Use its weight to create the force of the blow." Although she still seemed uncertain, she gave a nod of understanding. For the next two hours Don instructed her on a handful of basic moves, meant more to keep an enemy at bay rather than inflict damage. While Leo and Sams stood on the sidelines watching.

Next, Leo showed her how to use the chain and tanto. But the more they showed her the more uncertain she became. Near the end of the day, he had her spar with him. Of course, he went easy on her, but it didn't matter she never connected a blow. Leo let out a heavy sigh. "Katherine, you have to try to inflict some damage on your enemy. I can guarantee that he or she is not going to go easy on you."

She frowned. "I am trying."

"Then try harder." He told her in his most sensei tone. And so, she did. But again, the effort seemed to be in vain.

When she tripped herself with the blunt end of the naginata, she sat on her knees with her fists balled in her lap. Angry distort tears ran down her cheeks. "I can't do this! They had to have made a mistake! I'm no warrior!"

Leo frowned as he watched her bury her face in her hands. Donnie approached them. "I think that's enough for today, Leonardo."

The leader shook his head. "We have to push her. This is life or death we're talking about here."

Don's expression turned hard. "I think she's been pushed hard enough." He knelt beside Katherine and pulled her against him. "It's alright." She turned and sobbed into his shoulder, making his frown grow. Letting out a heavy sigh, he stroked her hair gently. "It's okay. We'll figure something out."

Sams watched Leo's expression turn sad. He closed his eyes as he turned away from them. When he came to stand in front of her, she cupped his face. "You're doing your best. You both are."

He shook his head, eyes downcast. "If she dies, it will be my fault."

Sams' eyes widened. "No, you can't blame yourself for this. Teaching someone like Katherine to fight in three days would be an impossible stunt even for Master Splinter."

"If I had some magic, maybe I could do something!" Katherine sobbed. "But this? I'm no good at this!"

Don rubbed gentle circles on her back, trying to soothe her. They weren't going to get anything else out of her today, nothing worthwhile anyways. "You're tired. Come on, let's go back to the house." He pulled her slowly to her feet and guided her out of the training area.

She seemed to barely notice, her vision blurred with more tears. They continued up the stairs to the bedroom they'd shared the night before. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she tried desperately to calm herself. But all she could think about were all the things she still wanted to do with her life – all the memories she wanted to share with Don. But if she couldn't get her magic to work, she'd never be able to do any of those things. She let out a shuddering breath. "I may not come back from this."

Don squeezed her. "Don't talk like that."

"But it's true. Everyone is thinking it."

"Katherine, please…" Don could feel his heart breaking at the very thought of losing her.

She sat back to look at him. "No, I have to accept it as possibility." She cupped his cheek. "I wish… There is so much I wanted us to do together, so many things I wanted us to experience together. I'm sorry."

Don's gaze had misted over and he squeezed his eyes shut against the pain her words brought. He shook his head. "I won't accept it." He opened determined caramel eyes. "There is a reason we are here together. There has to be. I never really believed in fate until I met you. But that day we met, _I knew_. I knew I was supposed to be yours and you mine. There has never been a more perfect moment in my life, before or since." He stroked her cheek with a large thumb. "So, you see, there has to be a reason we're together. We just need to figure out what that is."

More tears trickled down her cheeks. "Donatello, I don't want to have any regrets. If it is fate for us to be together, then let us be _together_." She leaned up, capturing his mouth in a heated kiss that made his mind go blank and sent a shiver through his body.

Her words didn't register right away, clouded by the passion of her kiss. But when they did, he felt like his heart might explode with emotion. When she finally pulled away, he caught her shoulders. "What if you do come back? What if you win? Will you regret it then?"

Her eyes were clear and certain. "No, I will never regret it. If I somehow survive this, then it will only make me hope for more."

"Katherine…" Don breathed. For once he had no words to express the depth of love in his heart.

She stood and moved around the bed to pull the heavy drapes over the glassless window. When she closed the door, his pulse tripled in speed. Finally, she turned to stand in front of him. Slowly he stood as well, searching her beautiful dichromatic eyes for any speck of doubt. He found none.

"Please." She whispered softly and he was completely undone. He would have given her the world in that moment, if he could. He caught her mouth, speaking with his soul in a way words could never possibly express.

***&*&*&*& See AO3 for deleted scene &*&*&*&***

* * *

A/N: I've finished writing this one, so I'll probably do updates pretty quick from here. Don't forget if you like to review!


	5. Finding the Right Path

A/N: Thanks for reading guys!

* * *

Don woke to find Katherine still spread across his plastron. Her expression had to be the most peaceful he'd seen it in days. There was a knock at the door and he realized that had been what had woken him.

"Donatello?" Leo's voice carried through the door.

Don frowned. Covering her one exposed ear, he raised his voice just enough to be heard outside the door. "What is it? Katherine's sleeping."

"Dinner's ready. Do you think you could convince her to eat?" Leo listened from the hall for his brother's response.

"I will try."

"Alright, see you downstairs." Leo paused as he started to leave, a scent catching his nose. His eyes widened and he barely suppressed the gasp. Then he smiled. _That's it, bro. Show her how much she has to live for._ He continued to smile as he descended the stone steps.

Inside the room, Don sighed. A part of him hated to wake her, she was resting so serenely. But he knew she had to keep her strength up. He paused, savoring this brief moment of quiet happiness. He committed to memory the feel of her heartbeat against his plastron, the softness of her skin, and her sweet scent. Then he stroked her hair. "Katherine?" She didn't stir. He caressed her cheek with his large fingers and this time she shifted into them slightly. "Come on, Kitten. It's time to wake up."

She let out a heavy breath. "I want to stay here."

A soft smile crossed his face. "I know. But dinner is ready and you really should eat."

Her fingers tightened on the edge of his plastron. "I'm not hungry."

He let out another sigh, his arms tightening around her. "You have to keep your strength up. I need you to come back to me."

A frown returned to her lovely face and she turned her head to look at him. His breath hitched, when she pulled herself up his chest a few inches. Her bare skin against his plastron causing another tingle to pulse through his body. She held his gaze for a moment. "Okay, but later do you think…?"

His smile broadened. "If you want." He said completing the thought.

Smiling again, she pressed her lips lightly to his before burying her face in his neck. "I love you."

He let out a shuddering breath. "I love you too." A small smirk crossed his lips when she slipped her arms up around his neck and kissed it. "You wouldn't be trying to distract me, would you?"

He felt her body jiggle with a soft chuckle. "Maybe."

A small laugh escaped him as well. "Alright, we can stay here for a few more minutes."

Her warm breath danced across his throat. "I'll take every one I can get."

* * *

It had already grown dark hours ago, when Stan and Lyn stepped into the circle of firelight. They glared at the two turtles already settled around it.

"We're supposed to be your guides, you know? You shouldn't have taken off like that." Stan pinned Raphael with his brown gaze.

"We did just fine without you." The turtle shot back.

"Look, we need to cooperate. It's our duty to protect the heir and keep the Tawisect from opening the seal. We will help you find them." Lyn dropped his pack beside a large rock.

"And what then? You dudes don't seem to care what Katherine wants." Mikey bit his lip, anger still churning in his stomach at what these people planned for her and his brother.

Stan sighed. "That is not our decision to make. Our only job is as scouts, to help you find the Tawi. And maybe we can stop this before it even begins."

Lyn sat on the rock. "Yes, if we can find their heir and kill him, the seal will forever be safe. Then Katherine will be free to make her own choices."

"That's assumin' there ain't more of 'em." Raph didn't really mind the idea of taking the guy out. But what was there to say he didn't have three or four or a dozen other siblings to take his place.

Stan settled on a log. "Our people make sure there aren't."

Mikey blinked. "What do you mean?"

Raph frowned. "He means they kill 'em, just like the Tawisect tried to do Katherine when we left New York."

Lynn nodded. "Yes, that is true. If a Tawi heir is located our operatives in the area are notified. And they…take care of it as quietly as possible."

Mikey frowned. "How do you know they're bad people? I mean, maybe they're not. Everyone has a choice of whether to be good or bad. Maybe some of them chose to be good."

Stan sighed looking into the fire. "The way we usually discover the Tawi heirs is because they've done something terrible. Most often murder. I suppose they can't help it to certain extent. After all, they are descendant of the evil one. It is simply their nature."

"How come ya ain't wiped 'em out then?" Raphael took a drink from his water bottle.

"Just like we have always protected the Tijo heir, so do they. They keep at least one secluded, so that the line isn't broken." Stan tossed a stick into the fire. The brothers exchanged a look. They needed to find these people and fast.

As soon as the sun lit the sky the four were moving again. Mikey let out a large yawn, while Raphael kept frowning down at the scanner in his hands. Suddenly he stopped, Mikey running into the back of him. "Ow, what did you do that for?" He rubbed his chin.

But Raph was focused on the scanner, which had suddenly begun to beep. He looked up and around them. "There's something here."

Lyn frowned. They had traveled far north and west to the very edge of the mountain range. The terrain here was mostly just gray rock. "Are you sure?"

Raph moved the scanner about and it began to beep louder. On the screen a tiny blob appeared that seemed to only be a few feet ahead of them. "Yes, this way." The group moved only about another twenty feet or so to stand right on top of the signal. "It says there's a power source right here."

Stan crouched down to take a look at the earth from a different angle. Not far away he spotted what appeared to be air flowing out between two rocks, disturbing the dust ever so slightly. The place would have been easily overlooked by the naked eye. Moving to the place, he put out his hand. There was definitely air coming from beneath them. "Help me." He gestured to the two large stones that were leaning together.

With a bit of effort, they moved the stones aside. Kneeling down Lyn shined his flashlight into the hole. "It doesn't look like an entrance more like an air shaft."

"Maybe we could take it down. We brought our climbing gear." Raph started to remove his pack.

Stan put up a hand. "No, that shaft could narrow or branch off. Ours are created so that at a point smaller shafts branch off and the larger shaft ends." His companions frowned. "But that does mean there is an entrance near here. Let's split up and search this area. But be careful the entrance could be camouflaged and level with the ground."

Less than ten minutes later, Mikey called to the others. "Hey, check it out." On the side of a slight incline, he'd found a tarp that was exactly the same color and texture of the area surrounding it.

Raph slowly lifted the edge and peered inside. When he looked back at the others, he nodded and pressed a finger to his lips. Stealthily they entered the passage, which only went a few feet before becoming a shaft with a ladder. Raph continued to lead the way as they descended. It was a long climb and took several minutes. At last they could hear voices. Cautiously, Raph moved down. The ladder dead ended into another passage, where two guards stood talking. Apparently, they'd never had an intruder before, because neither seemed to know what to do when first Raph jumped them, then Mikey.

"That was a little too easy." The younger turtle whispered. Raph shot him a look and shushed him. The four moved up the passage which ended in a large chamber. There was no one around their tunnel, which wasn't the only entrance. Like the Tijo's main chamber, there were several tunnels branching off.

Stan let out a relieved breath and lowered his voice. "We finally found their stronghold, after all this time."

Lyn looked across the chamber. "It looks a little like home." The village before them was indeed similar, but with some significant differences. There were no children or happy families. The place was set in a strict order of rows of tents, set up more like a military encampment than a home. The faint sound of voices came from the other side of the chamber.

"Let's see where everyone's at." Raph led the way, darting from shadow to shadow with Mikey at his side and the two men following at a slight distance. At last the turtles came to a stop, peering around a rock outcropping.

Before them was an army in similar numbers to the Tijodyn, but seemed more organized. The assembled men grew quiet as a large man stepped onto a raised platform. "The time of Tawi grows near. You have all served me well. And when I absorb his great power, I will reward you all." He smirked as the crowd cheered. "In less than twenty-four hours Pahway will open. I have trained my entire life for this very moment. Those in the past may have failed, but I will not." Again, the crowd roared.

Behind the outcropping, Mikey swallowed hard. "He's their heir!" The man was in his late twenties, nearly seven feet tall, broad, muscular, and the easy way he moved spoke of skill. _There's no way Katherine can beat him! She's half his size!_

Raphael had been thinking something very similar. He pulled his sai. "_We_ need to take him out."

Stan grabbed his arm, drawing a glare from the turtle. "There is no way you are going to get past that entire army without being killed!"

"We have to try!" Raph growled back. "She'll die otherwise! She's not gonna be able to take that guy on!" He hissed.

"You would have very little opportunity to get to him." Lyn pointed at the Tawi heir as he strolled away from the mass of men. Six guards followed him, all of them armed. The heir entered an actual wooden structure built along the wall and the men took up position outside. "They're not taking any chances."

Stan sighed. "Maybe if we had found this place months ago, we could have infiltrated their ranks. But there is no time now. We need to return with what knowledge we have."

Raph clenched his sais in both hands now. "No! You two go back to where we came in. Michelangelo, you go with them too."

Mikey frowned. "And where are you goin'?"

"I'm goin' to finish this now." Without warning he darted across the space into the rows of tents.

* * *

Leo handed the naginata to Katherine. "Let's try this again. Are you ready?" She nodded.

Sams stood with Don on the sideline. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and suppressed a smile. Leo had told her that his brother and Katherine had taken the next step in their relationship. She was very happy for the both of them. But unlike Leo had looked the day after they'd consummated their marriage, Don looked tenser than ever. Returning her gaze to their friend, she could understand. Katherine was still having trouble. It didn't take more than ten minutes to realize this strategy was not going to work.

She waited until there was a break and waved her hands. "Wait, wait, wait." Don followed her out to the pair on the floor. Leo looked down at her with curiosity. "I know what the problem is."

He raised an eye ridge at her. "You do?"

"Yes, you guys are trying to make her fight like you – like ninjas. When she should be fighting like me."

Leo's eyes grew wide and a grin broke across his face. She let out a little squeal when he picked her up and spun her around. "Sams that's brilliant!" He set her on her feet and kissed her firmly. "God, I love you!"

Don frowned, not following. "What is?"

Sams turned to smile at Katherine. "She needs to know how to street fight – down and dirty. She doesn't need fancy moves. You just need to know how to debilitate your attacker and keep him down."

Katherine's light brown brows rose. "And you can show me how to do that?" She'd never seen Samantha fight before.

She grinned. "Sure, I might be a little rusty." She glanced up at Leo. "But I still remember most of it."

Katherine looked uncertainly at Don, who let out a small chuckle. "In that case, I volunteer Leonardo as your practice dummy."

"Hey!" Leo snorted. "I don't think we need to resort to that. I'm sure we can find one in the main training arena. I'll go get one." He smiled down at his spouse. "In the meantime, maybe you could give her some pointers." As Leo walked away, he could hear Sams begin to explain what "street fighting" was.

Lotus was a little surprised when Leo stepped into the much larger training area. He scanned the room, completely skipping right over her, until he spotted what he'd came for. He picked up a sawdust stuffed dummy and a post. She met up with him on his way out. "How are things going? Any progress?"

Leo smiled to himself, thinking about how clever his Sams was. "I think we might finally be making some headway." He didn't slow his pace as he started right back to the smaller area.

Lotus kept up with his quick steps. "Ah! Good! I knew you would discover the appropriate method."

Leo let out a small chuckle. "Actually, it wasn't me. It was Sams."

She blinked at him. "Really, the little blonde? What does she know about combat?"

He stopped just outside the training area to frown at her, not liking the way she'd said that. "More than you'd guess. Now, if there's nothing else, I have work to do." He didn't give her a chance to respond as he turned and stepped up into the heir's personal training area.

They turned to Leo as he approached. Sams spotted Lotus standing outside. She clenched her fist. This woman was really getting under her skin.

When Leo saw the hard look in Sams' eyes, he followed her gaze. _This could be a problem_. He cleared his throat and set the post down. "Uh, this should work just fine."

Taking a deep breath, Samantha tried to focus on what was really important at the moment. Katherine needed her help. Turning her back on the interloper, she fixed the other girl with a firm gaze. "Street fighting ain't the same as formal fighting like the guys were trying to teach you. It's about survival. And it doesn't have to be pretty. I'm not saying this wasn't good stuff to learn. It was! And it might even work for a while. But eventually he'll try to get his hands on you. When he does, you get him wherever you can. That means the eyes, the throat, the groin, the stomach – anywhere. And in this case, when he goes down, you make sure he doesn't get back up."

Katherine looked even more uncertain than before. But Sams continued. "Throw dirt in his eyes. Put pressure on the joints like knees and elbows – they'll break the easiest. And if you can get a knee then he won't be able to walk or come after you. Grab his ears, pull his hair, even bite him if you have to."

Leo folded his arms and shot his brother a look of pride. He'd seen Sams hold her own the night they'd met. And although he didn't like the idea much, he knew she could fight back if necessary. Over the next few hours Sams, Leo and Don took turns showing her more moves and tricks. By lunch time, Katherine was feeling more confident than she had in the last two days.

* * *

A/N: Lotus apparently can't take a hint... :D


	6. Tactics

A/N: I'm seeing a lot of reads, but no reviews. :( But that's okay. It looks like you guys are enjoying it!

* * *

Raph crept between the rows of tents, circumventing the men still gathered in a large group in what he assumed was their training area. Slipping around, he came up on the wooden structure from the far side. The back of the building was built into the wall. Only three sides were even accessible. The ninja, however, would get inside and hopefully take out the Tawi heir. The building had two floors, much like the Tijo house did. And it even had an open window. Surveying the rock wall, he determined it was climbable.

He scaled the wall, getting high enough that the six bodyguards wouldn't notice him. Then he moved across until he reached the second story window. As quietly as possible he stepped onto the windowsill. The room beyond was dark, but Raph's keen eyesight picked out a large bed, an armoire, and a table. But there was no sign of the Tawi heir. Silently he moved towards the stairs built from the stone wall. He could hear movement downstairs.

Suddenly a pair of arms snagged him from behind and dragged him back towards the window. He only struggled for an instant, because he knew the green hand that clamped over his mouth. He spun on his brother. "I told you to go!" He hissed angrily.

Mikey glared back. "Leonardo said recon only. We aren't supposed to do anything. Just report back."

"We got a chance to stop this here and now. We gotta take it!"

"And if we can't finish him off? Then he'll know we're on to him."

Raph growled clutching his sai. He couldn't let this opportunity pass. He had to try for both Katherine and Don's sakes. Suddenly foot steps came up the stairs and the large mass of the Tawi heir appeared.

He glared at them. "Who are you! What are you doing here!"

"We're here for you!" Raph growled before he sprang at the man.

The Tawi slammed a meaty fist into the turtle's stomach, sending him stumbling back several steps. "What are you! How did you find this place!"

Raph sliced at him with his sai. If he could at least injure him, it would give her a fighting chance. But a large knife came up to block the blow. His caramel eyes met one cold dark brown and one yellow in the dim room. Raph brought his other sai around, managing to nick the guy on the shoulder. The wound, however, was little more than a scratch and the man barely flinched. He caught Raph's wrist. "Who are you! Did the Tijodyn send you! Those cowards!"

"Let him go, meathead!" Mikey collided with the guy from the side. The Tawi released Raph only to swing his blade up at Mikey. His nunchakus made contact with the man's knuckles and he dropped the knife.

Raph saw his opening and moved to take advantage of it. The room was suddenly filled with more bodies. The scuffle had drawn the bodyguards from outside. They leveled their riffles at them. Now outnumber seven to two, the brothers backed towards the window again.

Mikey grabbed Raph's shoulder. "Time to go!"

The older brother continued to glare and growl for a moment. "Damn it!" Raph and Mikey spun and jumped from the upper level.

"After them!" The Tawi shouted as he rushed to the window. But the two turtles had already disappeared into the encampment. "Block off the entrances! Find out how they got in here!"

Stan and Lyn were waiting in the tunnel when they heard the uproar from the other side of the large chamber. A moment later, the two turtles came flying into the passage. "Let's go! Now!" Raph ordered the humans up the ladder first.

Mikey started after them, but paused. His brother was clutching his sai and glaring back into the main chamber. "Raphael! Come on!" The red-banded turtle hesitated for only another moment, before turning with a growl and clambering up the ladder after his companions.

Once beyond the gray camouflage tarp, Stan pointed to the tree-line several hundred yards away. "We need to take cover!" The four bolted across the open space. Just a few minutes later, the Tawisect came pouring out of the entrance. The enemy had hidden their entrance well, but its location also made it hard to track on the stone terrain. By the time the Tawi entered the forest, the four companions were very far away. The Tawi trackers were able to pick up their trail, but only for the distance they'd favored speed over stealth. Then, the trail vanished, leaving the pursuers in the middle of nowhere.

On the next mountain ridge over, Lyn watched through his binoculars as the Tawisect were forced to turn around empty handed. He let out a breath. "They're going back."

"Good." Mikey sagged against a tree.

Stan turned to glare at the two brothers. "Good! You two just cost us the element of surprise! Even if they can't follow us, they'll be waiting for us now!"

Raph glared. "I had to try!"

Stan snorted. "Yeah, well you didn't succeed and that's the point."

Lyn stood, tucking his binoculars back into his bag. "Look, let's argue about this later. Right now, we need to get back and let the captain know their location. Pahway isn't due to open until sunrise. We still have time to stop this before it goes any further."

His companions frowned, but gave firm nods. Moving far faster than they had their entire journey, they tore their way back towards the Tijo caverns in the mid-morning sun.

* * *

They had just decided to break for lunch, when the village seemed to erupt into shouting. Leo frowned. "What's going on?"

Don gasped and pointed. "They're back!" Raph and Mikey came sprinting towards them. They looked completely exhausted. The group hurried to meet up with them.

"Hey guys! Did you find anything?" Leo was relieved to see them back safe and sound.

Bache appeared from the growing crowd, followed by Lotus and Chresal. "Yes, did you?" He asked.

Mikey frowned. "Well, we got some good news and some bad news."

Chresal looked around. "Uh, sir, perhaps we should continue this inside. I'm sure they'd like to get off their feet."

Bache nodded. "Yes, I believe that would be wise." He didn't want to cause an uproar among the people without just cause.

A few moments later, the rather large group settled on the rim of the large pit. After a bit of water, the two turtles and two scouts settled down to business. "We were able to locate the Tawi's base." Stan advised them. "But they also know we know." He shot Raph a quick look.

Leo frowned. "You were spotted?"

"You could say that." Mikey muttered.

Bache let out a heavy breath. "It doesn't matter. If their door is there, then they will stay to protect it."

Chresal frowned. "But, sir, they have to know we'll try to destroy it. They'll be waiting on us."

Bache didn't dispute that. "Tell me, what are their numbers?"

"Pretty close to ours." Lyn said.

"What about their heir? Did you see them?" Lotus asked from behind Bache.

"Yeah, we did." Raph sighed. "That's the bad news." He met his eldest brother's gaze. "He's big, Leonardo. Really big."

Mikey rubbed his face. "And strong too."

Katherine sucked in a sharp breath and turned to bury her face in Don's shoulder. He frowned, wrapping both arms tightly around her. Bache glanced at Leo, silently asking if she could handle the guy. Leo shook his head. Even with all the new tricks and things they'd taught her, he wasn't sure she could beat such an opponent.

Bache stood. "Chresal, Ren, gather your men. We will strike their base and destroy their doorway before the sun rises." The two nodded.

Stan frowned. "Are you sure that's wise, sir?"

Bache frowned. "We must take all avenues to protect the seal. And if we can prevent their heir from entering Pahway altogether, then that is what we are going to do. You two come with me. I want you to show me on the maps exactly where they are." Stan and Lyn followed the older man out with Chresal. Lotus was the last to leave.

Leo sighed, setting aside the plate of food Kay had brought him. "I suppose we should get back to training. At least now we know what you're up against."

"Actually, there's something else we need to talk to you guys about." Raph glanced at Kay, who was lingering in the kitchen doorway. "Alone."

Kay looked slightly hurt. Leo frowned. "There's no need to be rude, Raphael. These people have been kind to us." Raph shot him a look and he sighed. "Kay, would you please excuse us?" This time the slightly older woman nodded and retreated into the kitchen. He frowned at Raph. "Was that really necessary?"

"Yeah, it is." Mikey pipped in. "These people aren't as nice as they seem."

"What do you mean?" Don asked. Katherine lifted her head from his shoulder to look at them.

Raph took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "The scouts said that if Katherine survives and the Tawi can still get through their doorway in the future, then she would have to stay here and produce another Tijo heir."

A vicious snarl tore its way out of Don's throat. He pulled Katherine into his lap and wrapped both arms around her possessively. "The hell she will!"

Leo was on his feet. "Are you sure that's what they meant?"

Bitterness seeped into Mikey's voice. "Yeah, they didn't really mix words. They said she'd have to have an heir and she couldn't do that with a turtle."

Sams pressed both hands to her mouth. "That's horrible!"

Don was still growling rather loudly, his body literally quaking with anger. Leo took in a deep breath, trying to rein in his own temper. "Okay, everyone calm down. They haven't done anything yet. We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I won't let them-!" Don started.

Leo put up his hands. "We won't let them either. You know that. Katherine is a part of our family. She goes where we go."

The others moved away from the couple, giving them a moment of privacy. Katherine slipped her arms up and around his neck, placing a kiss under his jaw. "It's okay." She tried to keep her voice as soothing as possible, despite her own shock and fear.

Don took in several deep breaths, the trembling in his arms subsiding. "No, it's not." He ground out through clenched teeth. "How dare these people think they can tell you who you can be with!"

She let out a heavy sigh and sat back within the circle of his arms to meet his eyes. "Leonardo's right. Let's focus on one problem at a time. Now that we're aware of what they might try, we'll be prepared for it."

She hugged him and Don let out a shuddering breath, holding her as tight as he could. "I won't let them take you from me."

Her arms tightened around him. "I won't either."

It took a long time for Don to relax, but he eventually did. After lunch, Katherine went upstairs and sat on the bed. Running her fingers across the soft sheets, she smiled recalling the previous night. The photo album they'd brought her rested on the nightstand. Now, she flipped through a few pages, finding a picture of both her parents. _I understand why you did it now. Why you gave me away. Why you tried to hide me. You wanted me to be free to make my own choices in life, not just follow duty. Thank you for giving me that chance. Because without it, I never would have met Donatello or any of the others._

She let out a trembling breath at even the thought of being without him now. It would completely crush her soul. He had said they were fated to be together. And now that she thought about it, she had to agree. It seemed like every step they'd taken had been laid out before them. If that was true, then the universe did have some plan for them.

"Hey." Katherine looked up to see Sams in the doorway. "You okay?"

She gave a slow nod. "The universe couldn't have brought me and Donatello together just to abandon us now."

Sams frowned as she moved to stand at the foot of the bed. "Yeah, but that doesn't change what they want from you. Or the fact that they just insulted the man you love. I know that had to hurt."

Katherine nodded. "Yes, it did. But I came here to fight, didn't I? And I will, especially for him."

Sams nodded, her expression sad. If someone had said something like that about Leo, she would be just as upset. She gave her friend a half smile. "They may be all tough on the outside, but they can be all squishy on the inside."

Katherine gave a small chuckle. "Yes, they can."

This was the first opportunity Sams had been able to get Katherine alone since yesterday. "So, you and Donatello, uh, you know…" She gestured at the bed.

The older girl turned three shades of red. "You, um, know about that?"

Sams' smile grew a little. "Leo told me. It's kinda hard to hide that sort of thing from the guys." She tapped her nose. "Their senses are a lot better than ours."

Katherine's blush faded a bit as she realized Sams was right. "Oh."

The blonde smiled brightly. "I'm glad. It makes me happy to see you both so happy. And no matter what anyone else says, we know the truth." She placed a hand over her heart. "It's what's in here that we fell in love with. And that's all that matters."

Katherine stood and stepped to the end of the bed to embrace her friend. "Thank you, Sams."

The blonde stepped back with a sparkle in her eye. "And being with a mutant turtle definitely has its advantages."

Katherine giggled. "Yes, it does."

Samantha glanced out the window and spotted a sole figure coming back to the house. Her expression turned dark. "I've had enough of her!"

Katherine turned to look out the window to see Lotus approaching the house. She frowned. "Sams, what…?" She turned back to find the other girl gone. Below her, she watched her appear from the front door to intercept Lotus several yards away. "Uh, oh."

Samantha stopped in front of Lotus blocking her path. "Can I help you with something?"

The kunoichi gave her a bored look. "I simply came to let Leonardo know that our people will be ready to leave within the hour."

Cool blue eyes held the dark brown ones. "Okay, I'll tell him. You can go back to doing whatever it is you do." Lotus didn't move, measuring the small female with her eyes. Sams' gaze narrowed. "I said you can leave."

"I think I'd prefer to deliver the message myself." Lotus replied coolly.

Samantha straightened, her fists ball at her sides. "I don't know what you think you're trying to do, but you need to stay away from Leo. Got that!"

"I believe that should be his decision." Lotus's relaxed stance became rigid.

"He's already made that decision. He's with me." Sams half growled.

"A poor decision at the best." Lotus replied sharply. "I plan to make him see that error."

"Why you-!" Sams swung at her, but Lotus easily blocked the blow.

She snorted. "You have no chance against me in a fight. If you walk away now, I won't hurt you." Sams' other hand came around to slap her, but was again blocked. "Pathetic."

Samantha gave a dramatic sigh and turned her back on the woman. "Fine, you win."

Lotus took a few steps closer. "A wise decision."

Before Lotus knew what had happened, Sams had spun and nailed her right in the jaw. She stumbled back, while Sams glared daggers at her. "Over my dead body!"

Angry now, Lotus moved forward with sharp brown eyes. "You'll regret that!" She sprang at her with the intention of teaching this little girl a lesson.

"No! Stop!" Katherine came rushing out of the house. She threw her arms around Sams and a blue ring of light shot out from her in all directions. Lotus was thrown backwards by the blast and sent sprawling to the ground.

Sams gasped and the two exchanged a surprised look. "What was that?"

* * *

A/N: Looks like Katherine finally found her spark! ^_^


	7. Talents and Traditions

A/N: Going to meet Kevin Eastman this weekend! Whoop whoop!

* * *

The guys had seen Katherine come flying down the stairs and out the door. They made it to the entrance just in time to see the blue ring of energy fling Lotus several yards away. A moment later they were beside the girls. Leo turned to glare at Lotus as she got back to her feet. "What is going on here!"

Lotus pointed at Sams. "She attacked me. I was simply coming to deliver a message from Captain Bache."

Leo continued to frown, glancing down at his spouse. Sams lifted her chin with defiant blue eyes. "I did and I'll do it again."

He placed a hand warmly on her back and she met his eyes. He sighed, turning back to Lotus. "I'm sure Sams had a good reason. Now, I think you should leave."

Lotus balled her fists at her sides. "What!"

The turtle stiffened. She wasn't going to make this easy for him. "I'm not blind, Lotus. I know what you've been trying to do. But you're wasting your time. Sams and I made a promise to one another and I don't break my promises. I love her and I always will." Sams pulled away from Katherine to wrap her arms around him. He pulled her close, burying his nose in her mound of curls.

Lotus scowled. Raph and Mikey stepped around in front of the couple with stern expressions. With a huff, she turned and marched away. Mikey sagged. "That was intense."

Raph glanced at his older brother. "So, I guess I don't have to ask what's been going on here."

Leo stepped back to frown down at his wife and cup her face. "Sweetheart, that was very dangerous. Lotus Blossom is a very skilled kunoichi. She could have killed you."

"And she might have, if it hadn't have been for Katherine." Don turned her towards him with a big smile. "You did it! You tapped into your magic!"

She was puzzled. "But it was just instinct, I didn't do anything special."

Don brushed a hand through her hair. "I understand now why you couldn't do anything before. It only surfaces when you want to protect someone else." He continued to smile. "All you have to do is hold on to that feeling. Remember who you're trying to protect. And you can draw it to the surface."

Mikey smiled a bit. "I guess that's one good thing that came out of this."

Raph smirked at Sams. "I think Lotus also got a taste of Sams' right hook." He'd seen the mark on her chin. "If nothin' else, it'll make her think twice next time."

Leo frowned, holding Sams close. "There had better not be a next time."

"I think we should start training Katherine's magic now. She needs to be able to tap into it on demand." Don said, bringing their attention back to more important matters.

Leo nodded. "Why don't you two go get some rest? It looks like you need it. We'll get to training." Raph and Mikey headed back into the house, while the rest entered the private training area. Don and Sams stayed on the sideline as the other two stepped into the center. Leo tapped his chin as he thought over how to encourage her magic to the surface. Don had said it was her desire to protect someone that had brought it out. "Wait here."

He walked back to where Don stood and spoke with him for a moment. He nodded and left to get something. Leo returned to Katherine. "It's obvious that any kind of direct attack on you hasn't been able to bring your magic out. But like Donatello said if you have to protect someone, it'll surface. So, what we're going to have to do is force it to surface, until you understand how to draw it out yourself."

Katherine suddenly felt nervous. "And how are you going to do that?"

"By giving you someone to protect."

Donatello reappeared with some rope. Leo took it as his brother knelt down with his hands behind his shell. Katherine's eyes widened and her heart raced. "What are you doing!"

Leo tied Don's hands and feet together. He gave it one last tug. "Can you move?"

Don tested the rope. "No."

"Good. Just one more thing." Leo turned his brother's mask so that it covered his eyes like a blindfold. "And you can't see, right?"

"No."

Katherine was freaking out. "What's going on!"

Leo retrieved a practice staff from the weapons rack. "I'm going to attack Donatello. And I'm not going to hold back. So, if he gets hit, it's going to hurt."

She shook her head. "No, you can't do that! I'm not ready for that!"

"It's alright, Katherine. I trust you." Don said from his very vulnerable position.

She continued to shake her head as she watched Leo approach. "You wouldn't do that. He's your brother. You wouldn't hurt your own brother."

Leo shook his head firmly in return. "We've all been struck in training before and injured too. The difference is this will be on purpose. You're going to have to stop me." He could see she wasn't convinced he'd actually do it. He and Don had already discussed that possibility and how to resolve it. Stepping around behind Don, he struck him in the carapace hard – but not too hard. Don grunted with the impact and almost fell forward.

Katherine gasped as she rushed forward. "Donatello!" She cupped his face and glared at Leo. "How could you!"

"I told you, I wasn't going to hold back." Now certain she believed him, he took aim at a more vulnerable part of his brother's body – his shoulder.

Panic filled her bicolored eyes. "No! Don't!" A ball of fire grew in her gut filled with a protective anger. The blow seemed to come down on him in slow motion as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "No!" She cried again. The staff was stopped mere inches from Don's shoulder by a glowing blue forcefield. It was so close that at first Leo thought he might have actually connected with Don's shoulder. When he realized she'd stopped him, he had to suppress the desire to grin. Instead, he brought the staff down again. "Stop this!" She shouted.

This time the blow was stopped nearly a foot away from him. "Good." Leo moved around to the other side and took aim at Don's elbow. Katherine almost growled, glaring at him. She was becoming angrier by the minute. The blow was blocked again, even farther away now. "You'd better keep it up. I'm not done yet." He warned her as he now took aim at Don's head. If he did manage to hit him, his brother would be severely injured.

Katherine turned towards him, her blue eye glowing. "I said stop!" Leo brought the staff down again. This time instead of the forcefield, the glowing ring of energy shot out from her. Leo went flying backwards and just manage to catch himself from hitting the wall.

He stood, rubbing a hand across his plastron. The blow had knocked the wind out of him. Taking in a few deep breaths, he approached the couple on the ground with a touch of caution. Katherine's blue eye still glowed and she wore what almost looked like a snarl. He put up his hands. "Easy." Her expression softened and the glow faded. She took in a deep shuddering breath. Leo smiled. "Good job. Now hold on to that feeling. Remember it, so you can call on it when you need it."

She took in another deep trembling breath. "Untie him." She said tightly. Leo nodded and moved around to remove the rope. She turned Don's mask so he could see. "Are you alright?"

He smiled. "I'm fine thanks to you. I knew you could do it, Kitten."

She wrapped her arms around his neck again and he pulled her closer with his now freed hands. "That was crazy! What if I couldn't have done it! You would've been hurt!"

He squeezed her. "But you did."

Leo squatted beside them with a smile. "Now, you just have to learn to focus it." She glanced worriedly at Donnie. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use Donatello again. You have to be able to use your magic without him there."

She gave a slow nod, her heart still racing. "I'm ready."

Someone cleared their throat and they looked up to find Bache standing with an older man just inside the training area. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I came to let you know that I will be taking the majority of my men to the Tawisect's base. And I also came to apologize. I was told there was an incident a little while ago involving Ren."

Sams folded her arms and snorted. "Yeah, you can say that again."

Bache frowned. "I assure you, she won't bother you again."

Leo frowned back. "That is very appreciated."

"Also, since I may not be here at sunrise when the doorway opens, I wanted to introduce you to John Hawk. He is our historian and the most versed in the ritual to open Pahway."

The elderly man inclined his head. "It's an honor to serve the heir of Tijo."

Katherine blushed. "Uh, thank you."

"Well, I must be going. With any hope we may be able to destroy the Tawi's door once and for all." Bache started to turn away, but stopped. "I also heard that you've discovered your magic." He smiled at Katherine. "I never doubted you would." With that he left them.

"You're the historian?" Don asked. The man nodded. "Does that mean you are the most knowledgeable about this Pahway?"

John nodded again. "Yes, I am the most familiar with its history."

"Then you can answer a few questions for me?" Again the man nodded. Don looked down at his love. He leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips and squeeze her hand. "Good luck." She smiled up at him as he walked over to speak with the historian.

The next few hours were draining to Katherine. It taxed both her energy and her emotions to call on the magic. But slowly she was able to gain some control over it. By dinner time she was exhausted. Both Leo and Don agreed that there wasn't much more that she could learn. The historian joined them as they settled down for the meal.

"So, Bache said nobody can go in there with her. Is that right?" Raph picked up a roll.

"It has been attempted in the past. But so far the doorway has repelled anyone that is not of the Tijo line." John explained.

"But they were all humans. Maybe it'd be different for us, 'cause we're turtles." Mikey suggested.

John's brow bunched in thought. "That is an interesting point. The heirs are both human and magical creatures. It may be possible."

"Bache said they were shapeshifters too?" Leo took a bite of a pasta with sausage and bell peppers.

"Yes, but it has been many millennia since one of the heirs has been able to shift. The records indicate the last one that was able to change forms was more than seven thousand years ago. The Tijo bloodline has been thinned over time by humans." He sighed. "But seeing as there doesn't seem to be any more of Tijo's kind around, it is understandable."

"So, you don't think Katherine will be able to shapeshift?" Sams asked.

"No, it is highly unlikely. To be honest, I am surprised she was even able to tap into her magic." John smiled at Katherine, who was leaning against Don's shoulder with droopy eyes. "It's very impressive. Looking back through the records, it is obvious that each heir has had less and less of that magic. And although your father lived here and was thoroughly trained, he was not able to tap into his."

At the mention of her father, Katherine sat up a little. "Did you know my father?"

"Yes, quite well actually as he was my student."

"What was he like?" She asked tentatively.

"He had a very kind heart and a mischievous sense of humor." He chuckled a little. "He's remembered very fondly among our people for the pranks he pulled as a child."

Katherine smiled. "I used to do that to the nuns. I was a regular in detention my entire freshman year."

A round of laughter went around the table. "What about her mom?" Mikey was still stuffing his face.

John continued to smile. "For the few years that Bella lived here, I found her just as kind as Dean and very intelligent."

"So, she didn't grow up here?" Raph took a drink of water.

"No, Bella was chosen by the elders and brought here from somewhere up north, I believe."

Don tensed. "You mean like an arranged marriage?"

"Yes, the elders choose someone with traits that will be beneficial to the heirs." John raised his eyes from his plate to see the anxious look on Katherine's face and Don wrap an arm around her. "It has been tradition."

Donnie scowled, pulling her closer. "Well, that 'tradition' is going to have to be broken."

There was sympathy in the old man's eyes. "Although, your mother and father did love one another, I do believe that was one of the reasons they took you and hid you among the humans."

Katherine's grip on Don tightened. "I choose who I want to be with."

Leo cleared his throat. He didn't want this to escalate into an argument or even a fight. "I think it's time we see this doorway."

Feeling the tension in the air, John nodded. "Yes, of course." He rose and led them to where the Tijo door would open. It was an archway carved into the side of the cavern. The outside of the arch was decorated with intricate carvings. "You will be able to open the door when the sun rises." He pointed to two marks on either side of the arch. "Only your blood can open it. You must place it here and there."

"Is there anything else that has to be done for it to open?" Don examined the carvings. They depicted images of what was most likely previous battles between the Tijo and Tawi.

"Well, the records show that in the distant past there was an elaborate ceremony. But that hasn't been done the last few times the doorway appeared. However, the Tijodyn will want to gather to see Pahway open." John gestured at the large open area behind them. "Other than that, no. I suggest a good night's rest. And I will meet you here before sunrise." He inclined his head and said goodnight.

The four brothers and two girls stood staring at the doorway. Raph let out a deep breath. "Guys, I sure hope we're not making a big mistake."

* * *

A/N: Bit of a short chapter, but the next one will make up for it!


	8. Fortitude

A/N: Wow! I'm so happy you all are enjoying this one so far! Just three chapters left! Sorry, not a lot of the guys in this chapter, but the next makes up for that big time!

* * *

The Tijodyn crept across the dark landscape like night itself. Bache's men approached from the south, while Chresal's men traveled round to come from the north encircling the area. They knew there would surely be more than one entrance and so they slowly drew the noose tighter around their enemy's base.

As expected the Tawisect were waiting on them. Gunfire came from the rocky gray terrain. The Tijodyn returned fire. "Aim for their muzzle flashes!" Bache called to his men. The new moon was both a blessing and a curse. It meant their enemy wouldn't be able to see them well. But it also meant they couldn't see them well either. They did have the advantage of the shelter of the trees. But the area between the trees and the known entrance was open. They couldn't move forward until this first line of defense was taken care of. "Braddic, the grenades!"

A few moments later the night sky was lit up as an explosion rocked the ground beneath them. The first was quickly followed by three more. The cries of the Tawisect filled the air and Bache ordered the advance. Although they encountered heavy resistance, they finally broke through. Three entrances were located. There had been more, but they had been sealed off in preparation of the coming battle.

The progress into the tunnels was going to be tricky in such a confined place. There would be men waiting. Bache ordered the snipers with night vision to go in first. Even with that advantage, it took well over an hour just to press the Tawi back into the main chamber. Many good men were lost in those tunnels.

The tighter quarters called for more hands on weapons. Both groups were well versed in swordplay and hand to hand combat. As determined as the Tijodyn were to get inside, the Tawisect were just as determined to keep them at bay. The two sides seemed to be a stalemate for several hours. The longer the battle drew on, the closer they came to sunrise.

Chresal withdrew from the frontlines to move back to where Bache was leaning against the cold cavern wall panting. "Captain, we won't make it to the door before sunrise at this rate."

"I know." Bache panted. "We're going to have to regroup and center our attack."

"But if we do that, it will leave our flank open."

Bache met the younger man's eyes. "It is our duty to protect the seal, nothing else matters – not even our lives." Chresal frowned and Bache pushed off the wall to put a hand on his shoulder. "Dale, think of your wife and baby. If this evil is released, there will be no place safe enough for them." Chresal finally nodded and Bache pointed his sword. "This is the shortest path to the door. If we split their ranks here, we may be able to get some men past and down to the door."

Chresal nodded again. "Yes, sir. I'll gather them." He went off to call the men to the area they would break the line.

"Braddic!" Bache called. One of the men came back to him. "Do you still have the explosives?"

The man jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the pack on his back. "Right here, ready and waiting."

"Good. We're going to make you an opening. Take a few men and get to that door."

Braddic nodded. "Just give me that opening, sir, and I'll make sure that door comes down."

As the Tijodyn regrouped, the Tawisect began to believe they were retreating. Some even began to relax. But it wasn't long before they realized that the Tijodyn were focusing their attack on a particular place. They too converged on that section of their front lines. And just as Chresal had predicted the Tawisect circled around and pressed against their flank. For several minutes the Tijodyn were surrounded on all sides. But Bache and his men carved a path through their enemies like splitting the waters of an ocean.

Braddic and two men finally broke through the line. They raced towards the door, only to find six men guarding it along with one very large man. "I'll see if I can draw some of them off." One of Braddic's companions said before moving away from them and then showing himself to the other men. Only two broke away to chase him down.

Braddic scrutinized the remaining five. "How's your knife throwing, Jim?"

"I'd say pretty fair."

Braddic frowned. "Fair, huh? It better be better than that. If we can take out two from here, we'll only have to deal with the other three." They both took their blades in hand, before stepping out and throwing them. Luckily, they both hit their mark and two of the men went down.

The two remaining guards rushed them and a scuffle ensued. "Get to the door! I'll take care of these two!" Jim told Braddic as he connected a blow to the side of one man's head and the guy went down.

Braddic darted towards the door, but his path was blocked by the large man. "You Tijodyn are such cowards. First you send some freak to kill me and now you try to destroy the doorway. Are you afraid your heir won't be able to protect the seal this time?"

Braddic glared. "Nope, just figured why make her even break a sweat?" He pulled his sword and swung it up at him. The Tawi took a step back and caught the blade between his two large palms. Braddic gasped as the weapon was torn from his hands and one huge hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him from the ground. He struggled to breathe, clawing at the heir's wrist.

"I doubt there is anyone among you that could even harm me."

Braddic wasn't done quite yet. He reached behind him and pulled a small dagger. He swung it up and embedded it into the man's thick forearm. "You were saying." He quipped with a raspy breath.

The Tawi heir plucked the dagger from his arm like it was a splinter. "Useless, I have been trained to ignore pain." He narrowed his eyes on the Tijodyn still dangling from his hand. "I will be victorious this day. Sadly, you will not be around to see it." His other hand came around to grab the man's neck as well. There was a snap and Braddic fell lifelessly to the ground.

* * *

Don opened his eyes and frowned at his watch. It was an hour until sunrise. Katherine was tucked against him as close as she could possibly get. He'd had a hard time getting her to sleep. She'd been a ball of nervous energy. He'd finally resorted to churring softly. She'd eventually relaxed against him and fell into a deep sleep, a result of the day's physical and emotional exhaustion. He sighed, burying his beak in her hair, trepidation churning in his gut.

"It's alright. I'm awake." Came her soft voice, buried in his chest. Her hot breath on his plastron made his body pulse with desire. She let out a deep breath. "Donatello, I want you to know - in case I don't make it back - ."

His voice trembled slightly. "Please, Katherine, don't talk like that."

"No, I have to say this." She scooted back so she could meet his eyes. "I love you with all my heart and soul – with everything that I am. Please, remember that always."

He took in a deep shuddering breath, clenching his eyes closed against the growing ache in his heart. He felt her warm fingers brush away a tear that escaped the corner of his eye. He opened them again to gaze down at her. "It's not too late. We can still leave. You don't have to go through with it."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't."

She sighed. "Yes, I do. I was born to do this. It's what I'm meant to do."

"You're meant to be with me." He said in a choked voice.

She leaned up, capturing his mouth in a warm kiss. "Yes, I am." She rested her forehead against his. "And I will. But if something happens, I just wanted you to know how much I love you."

He caught her hand where she gently stroked his cheek. "I love you too with every beat of my heart and every breath that I take." Wrapping his arms around her again, he pulled her tight against him. "Do you want to get up now?"

She nuzzled against his neck. "We can stay here a few more minutes."

"I'll take every one I can get."

A little while later, they were standing next to doorway to Pahway and Don watched his brother help her with her gear. It felt surreal, like he was floating in a fog. He was the ninja. He was the one that had been in dozens of battles. Not her. And yet, here he was sending Katherine off to fight all alone against some stranger for the fate of the world. _It should be me, not her._

A bell rang out and in short order there was a large audience. John stepped forward to join them near the archway. "It's nearly dawn. Are you ready?"

She took in a deep breath. "Yes, as ready as I can be in four days."

John pulled a small decorative knife and handed it to her. Don stepped up beside her. "How much does she need?"

"Not much." John assured him.

"Then a finger prick should do." Don held the knife and she pressed a finger to its tip, just enough to draw a few drops of blood.

Stepping to the arch, she put a little on each side in the designated spaces. Then she stepped back and took Don's hand, squeezing it tightly. They all watched as the archway began to glow. It faded down until it was a soft blue light. It looked as if there was a large empty room just beyond it. She turned to John. "What does this seal look like?"

"You'll know it when you see it." He assured her.

She looked up at Don. "I'm scared." She said in a small voice.

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment at the amount of pain and fear those words caused him. Finally he looked down at her. "You are the bravest person I know." She gave him a skeptical look and he took her shoulders. "Katherine, courage is not the lack of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it. I have seen you do that many times. And I know you can do it now." He squeezed her hands. "Good luck."

She gave a small shaky nod and released his hands to step through into Pahway. Don was relieved that he could still see her at least. But in his heart that wasn't good enough. He should be in there protecting her.

Beside him, Leo reached out to try to pass his hand through the doorway into the pale blue light beyond it. A jolt went through his arm and he frowned. It didn't seem to want to let him through. That meant they wouldn't be able to help her. Katherine was on her own.

* * *

The Tawi heir turned away from the body on the ground and ran his fingers across the wound on his arm. He swiped the blood on either side of the doorway. A moment later, it began to glow, then faded to a soft blue light into what looked like a large room. Without hesitation he stepped through.

Pahway wasn't quite what he expected. It almost felt peaceful inside it, like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket. He began to walk through the open space in search of the seal. He'd only been inside a moment, when a woman appeared clutching a naginata with white knuckles. She looked around, her gaze locking on him. He couldn't help the laugh that rose from his gut. "A little girl. I expected a seasoned warrior. But you don't even look like you know how to use that thing. No wonder your people were so desperate to stop me before I entered." He smirked at her. "I am feeling rather generous today. I will let you live, as long as you don't interfere."

Katherine bit her lip, desperately trying to call up that ball of fiery protectiveness. "I won't let you break the seal."

He snorted and waved her off as if she wasn't worth his bother. "You won't have a choice." He began to search the room again for the seal.

Katherine actually spotted it first. She hadn't expected it to be so large. A crack crawled up the side of the rock wall. It seemed to be growing little by little. She backed towards it keeping the Tawi in her sights. He turned towards her and spotted it. When he started for it, she stepped into his path leveling the naginata at him. "I told you, I won't let you break it."

He snorted and continued towards her. She swiped at him with the blade. He took a step back and glared. "Little girl, you are testing my patience."

She didn't move, except to return to her original defensive stance. The Tawi's eyes narrowed. "This is your last chance. Put down that toothpick and let me pass." She relaxed her stance lowering the tip of the staff. "Now, see there, that wasn't so hard. You may be brighter than I thought." She allowed him to get a lot closer this time. In a flash she brought the blade up. The man was fast, but not quite fast enough. The tip caught the bottom of his chin, leaving a deep cut about two inches in length along his jaw. This time when he looked up there was fire in his eyes. He growled. "You little wretch!"

When he started for her again this time with determination, she swung the blade in an attempt to catch him across the stomach. The man caught the spear and jerked it from her hands. Katherine gasped. She'd hoped the naginata would keep him at bay longer than that. She took a step back, still trying to call her magic to the surface. But her fear was keeping it locked away. Leo's voice rang in her head. _"Remember who you're protecting. If you go down, it means the rest of us will too."_ An image of Don tied and blindfolded flashed across her vision.

"No! I won't let you!" The blue shield appeared in front of her.

The Tawi slammed a hefty fist into it. "So, it is true. You do have magic. Let's see how long you can keep it up." He threw blow after blow against the shield.

Katherine cringed. She hadn't practiced keeping it sustained for any long length of time. Each assault jarred her and soon she was having to take a step back with each blow. The distance of her shield was decreasing. She let out a cry as he broke through.

Before she could react, he'd snatched her by the wrist. "Now to teach you a lesson." She reached around behind her and grabbed the concealed dagger. She brought it up to jab it into the wrist of the hand that was holding her. He blocked it, knocking the knife from her hand. "I've already had that little trick pulled on me." She gasped and watched it skitter across the room for a moment. He chuckled at her expression and she growled. Then her foot connect with his already injured jaw.

He released her to stumbled back a pace. Then he backhanded her, she went sprawling on the floor with her head spinning. The Tawi rubbed his jaw. He glared at her. "I have had enough of you!" Kneeling, he grasped her neck with the intent of choking her to death. When he was close, she swung her fist at him. The blow would have missed, if not for the blade hidden in its sleeve. It sank deep into his right shoulder. This time he roared in pain as she tried to jerk it free without success. Taking hold of the blade with both hands, he snapped it in half.

Now, Katherine was only left with the spring part of the retractable knife. She tried to scrambled away from him. But he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. "What's the matter? Out of tricks?" She stared up at him wide-eyed for a moment, then brought both feet up into his chest. The force was enough to knock him backwards.

She made it back to her feet, but she was beginning to panic. This man had already sustained several injuries and he was still coming after her as if they were no more than scratches. She spotted the naginata a few feet away and made a run for it.

The Tawi heir was furious now, the seal temporarily forgotten in favor of breaking this woman in half. He charged her and she swung the blade at him. She was desperately trying to get her magic to resurface, but it seemed she couldn't pin down that protective anger that made it work. He caught the staff and struck her again. This time it was with a great deal more force. She flew across the space, sliding a short a distance to a stop where she lay completely still.

* * *

Outside the Tawi doorway, Chresal found Braddic lying on the ground. He cursed as he looked at the glowing archway. "He got through." Looking back down at Braddic, he realized the man still had the explosive charges strapped to his back. "Well, he won't get back out."

"Sir!" One of the men called to him. "We can't hold them much longer!"

"Just keep them back a few more minutes!" He replied before taking the charges from Braddic's pack. He was no expert at this, that had been Braddic's department, but he had practiced with it before. He placed four charges on the doorway, two on each side. He didn't have any time to delay, so he set the thirty second timer. Turning, he made a run for it. The resulting explosion was deafening in the underground chamber. The archway crumbled to dust, but the ceiling began to crumble as well.

Now the chamber was filled with chaos as men on both sides rushed the exits. Chresal caught one of his men. "Jim! Where's the captain?"

Jim ducked his head as stones fell all around them. "We lost him, sir!" Shock must have been evident in Chresal's face, because Jim grabbed his shirt. "He's gone! We have to get out of here!"

It took a moment for the lieutenant to regain his senses. Finally, he spoke. "Let's go!"

Above ground, it looked like a swarm of ants trying to escape their mound. Men poured from every exit, both sides collapsing and coughing. They were all covered in a layer of gray and brown dust. Beneath them the ground began to shift and a section of earth tumbled inward. Chresal wiped the dirt from his eyes as he lay on his back. Above them, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Jim looked at him where he lay beside him. "I'm sorry." He panted. "I know Warren was a good friend of yours."

Chresal sat up. "He died protecting the heir and the seal. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Let's just hope that his death – all their deaths were not in vain."

* * *

A/N: Because I'm still pumped from meeting Kevin Eastman this weekend and having such an awesome time with my friends, I'm gonna post the next chapter later this morning! Don't forget to leave some reviews.


	9. Fate

A/N: Hmm, don't have anything. Enjoy!

* * *

Donnie was completely freaking out! He'd seen the fight from outside Pahway. He'd also seen Katherine go down. Now, she wasn't moving at all. "No! Katherine get up! You have to get up!" The large Tawi approached her, still holding the spear. "No!" His brothers caught him as he made a move for the doorway. Leo had already tested it and they couldn't get through. There was no telling what would happen, if Don ran headlong into it.

"Donatello! There's nothing we can do!" Leo held his left arm.

The eyes his brother turned on him were wild. "Get off me!" Don growled. He tore his way free of their hands and barreled towards the opening. _I'm not going to lose her!_

Everyone gasped as he charged right through the archway into Pahway. Raph glanced at Leo. "I thought you said we couldn't get through?"

"I tried it. I couldn't." Leo was completely confused.

Raph snorted and made to follow Donnie. He bounced off it and his brothers caught him. Mikey frowned. "I don't think _we_ can. There must be something special about Donatello that let him in."

John stepped closer to them, his eyes on the doorway. He'd been shocked to see the one turtle enter, but apparently the others couldn't as the second had bounced right off. He pondered this for a moment. "Your brother and the heir, they are…lovers?" He asked tentatively.

The three brothers exchanged looks. Leo's answer was just as cautious. "Yes."

John nodded, not truly surprised by the answer. "Perhaps during their…encounter some of her magic was shared with him. That combined with the fact that he is not human must have allowed the door to accept him."

The theory certainly made sense. Leo frowned as he moved back to where he could see what was going on inside. "I guess, but for whatever reason it did – it's a very good thing for Katherine."

Raph frowned. "Uh, Leonardo, that might not be such a _good_ thing." When his brother looked at him questioningly, he shifted. "You see, I tried to take the guy out, but he was doing a pretty good job of whipping my shell and Michelangelo's before we were forced to leave."

Several emotions crossed the turtle's face – confusion, anger and worry. "Then let's hope Donatello does better than you."

The large Tawi approached the Tijo heir. He would take care of her, then break the seal. As he raised the naginata to plunge it into her back, the sound of an explosion and crashing rock echoed inside the chamber. His eyes widened as he realized the Tawi doorway was gone. He growled. _It doesn't matter. Once I have the magic, I will need no door._

He lifted the blade again. Something hard and heavy struck him from behind. The spear fell from his hand, barely missing the prone Katherine, as he was body slammed into the rock floor. He hadn't expected another attack. Only the heirs could cross into Pahway. He rolled over and the person moved away from him. He blinked, a bit stunned by what he saw before him.

Donatello was crouched beside Katherine, glaring back at him. His hand deftly checked for a pulse along her neck, but his eyes never left the Tawi. Relief rolled through him when he felt the steady thump beneath his fingers. "Katherine?" He called softly, but she didn't move.

"Another one. What are you creatures? And how did you get in here?" The large man came back to his feet.

"I'm a turtle. And it doesn't matter how I got in here. I won't let you hurt her." He growled.

The Tawi snorted as he wiped at the blood dripping down his neck. "I don't have any real interest in her. She's just a nuisance. I came for the seal." His gaze locked back onto the crack in the wall and he made a move for it.

Don blocked his path, bo in hand. "I can't let you do that."

He narrowed his eyes on the turtle. "This battle has always been one on one. Tijo versus Tawi. You have no right to interfere."

Don stood his ground. "Well, we're not much for tradition. Her fight is my fight."

"Have it your way." The Tawi swung a large fist at him. Don ducked and connected his bo with the man's right shoulder, jamming the blade further into it. Growling, he made a grab for Don. But again the turtle was too fast, sidestepping him and tripping him at the same time. The Tawi stumbled, but didn't fall. Standing with his back to Don, he drew himself up to his full height. "I see you are going to be far more difficult than that little girl."

Don lifted his bo in time to block the sword that came crashing down on him. The force was incredible. The man had to be nearly all muscle. He twisted around, freeing himself from the exchange. It was clear that he wouldn't be able to use brute force on his opponent. Katherine let out a small groan, lifting her head from the floor slightly. He could already see the entire left side of her face turning red and purple. He glared at the Tawi, anger burning in his chest. "I'm going to make you pay for hurting her!" The two charged each other. This time Don used the larger man's momentum to roll backwards and throw him across the room. He took the chance to check on Katherine again. She was still incoherent and mostly unconscious.

The Tawi pushed himself back to his feet and turned to scowl at him. "No more games, turtle." He charged Don again, where he'd relocated a safe distance from Katherine. Don moved to connect his bo with the side of the man's head. The Tawi caught it and brought his sword down on him. Gasping, Don just managed to move in time for the blade to cut nothing but air. Moving fast, he swept the man's legs from beneath him. The man caught himself this time, rolling and landing in crouch. With a roar he charged again, slicing at him. Donnie blocked it, spinning around to nail the man in the side of the head.

As the two continued to exchange blows, Katherine was slowly regaining consciousness. She blinked blurry eyes. The left side of her face throbbed. She pressed her hand to it as she eased herself into a sitting position. It took a moment to remember what had happened. She gasped, looking around. What she saw was heart-stopping.

The Tawi sliced through Don's bo, then slammed a fist into his chest. Don flew backwards, his carapace crashing into the stone wall. The turtle let out a gasp as at least one rib snapped. The man was on him again before he had a chance to recover. A large fist smashed into the side of his head. It was followed by another catching his jaw. A third blow connected with his chest again, but this time he had no way of reducing its impact. He cried out as two more ribs snapped. He looked up in time to see the sword coming down on him. He moved, but it wasn't fast enough as it sliced along the outside of his right bicep. He jumped away from the large male, clutching at the wound and growling.

Katherine was in a completely new level of panic. How was Donatello even there! Had the doorway allowed the turtles to enter after all? She glanced back towards the archway to see the three brothers shouting and pounding on the barrier, their voices muffled by the distortion of Pahway. So, Donnie was the only one. Her gaze shot back to the fight.

Don kicked out with a roundhouse that sent the Tawi into the wall beside them. The force drove the remainder of the blade in his right shoulder the rest of the way through. Now, the tip of the retractable knife was sticking out his back. The man tried to move his right arm, but it no longer wanted to do as it was commanded. It dangled loosely at his side, his sword falling to the floor. The two males glared at one another, panting and bleeding.

"You've lost." Don told him, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "You might as well give up."

"Not yet I haven't." The Tawi growled as he charged the turtle one more time, his fist collided with the side of Don's head. The room spun away from him as he landed a few paces away on his side with a groan. The big man picked up his sword from the ground with his left hand and approached his fallen opponent.

Katherine, who had been forgotten, was now on her feet. "You!" The Tawi turned towards her to see her blue eye glowing and her magic crackling around her like electricity. "Stay away from him!" The blue ring of light shot out from her. But this time it was much more focused as one compact pulse. When it struck the large man's chest, he was thrown clear across the chamber. His back connected with the stone wall with a horrible crack. The Tawi fell to the floor, unmoving.

Katherine rushed to Donnie's side. "Donatello?" She stroked his cheek gently.

It took a long moment for him to open his eyes. "Katherine?" He tried to sit up, but found it very difficult with his broken ribs. "The Tawi heir?"

Frowning, she helped him sit up. "I…I don't know." She looked across the space at the large mass on the ground and he followed her gaze.

Bringing his caramel eyes back to her, he reached out to touch her face. "Are you alright?"

She pressed a hand to the left side of her face. "I will be. It probably looks worse than it feels."

He took in as deep a breath as his broken ribs would allow and drew his feet under him. Katherine followed him up. "Stay here." He told her softly. He had to see whether or not the Tawi heir was still a threat. Moving cautiously across the chamber to stop a few feet away, he gave the man a critical look. Still he did not move, so Don approached closer. Finally, he knelt and felt for a pulse. He frowned. It was both sad and a relief to find none. Standing, he returned to Katherine. "He's gone."

After all the things the man had done and tried to do, sadness still flickered in her dichromatic eyes. She touched his cheek gently. "He was going to kill you."

He sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "He was going to kill you too. I could never let that happen."

Confusion crossed her features. "How did you get in here?"

He shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I do think we should be going."

Katherine turned towards the crack in the wall that was still slowly growing. She moved towards it, running her fingers lightly along the fissure. "I think there's something else I need to do."

Don frowned as he moved to stand beside her. "What's that?"

"I need to reinforce the seal." Looking around, she spotted the discarded tanto a few steps away.

Don caught her hand when she returned with it. "What are you doing?"

"If my blood can open the doorway to this place, then it should be able to heal this crack as well."

Don watched as she ran the blade across her palm and then pressed it into the breech. A blue light ran along the length of the fracture. It shined brightly and then the crack was gone. Katherine swayed and he caught her. "Are you alright?"

She gave a small nod, the heel of her hand pressed against her brow. "I didn't realize it would drain me like that."

The room around them began to shrink, the walls drawing in. "I think it's time to go." Taking her uninjured hand, he began to lead the way back to the doorway. She could see he was in pain, so she stopped to pull his arm over her shoulder. He smiled as he allowed her to take a small portion of his weight. As soon as they stepped out of Pahway the blue light disappeared and all that was left was the stone wall of the cavern.

"Donatello! Katherine!" The others cried over the sound of the Tijodyn's roaring cheer.

Raph smiled at Katherine. "Here, we'll take him." He and Mikey each took an arm over their shoulders.

"Easy, guys. I think I have some broken ribs." Don told them.

Beside them, Leo frowned as Katherine swayed on unsteady feet. He gently lifted her into his arms, then smiled down at her. "You did it."

Samantha was smiling just as much, where she stood beside them. "I knew you would!"

Katherine looked at Don. "No, _we_ did it. I wouldn't have made it, if it wasn't for Donatello."

"Yes, an absolutely incredible feat in and of itself." John smiled, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Your parents would be so very proud of you." She tried to return the smile, but the side of her face was swelling. The old man gave the couple a critical look, before turning to the crowd. "Our heir has been victorious this day! And the seal remains safe! This is a time for celebration!" The crowd's cheering grew and John turned back to the group. "Come, the doctor is already waiting inside the house."

"Doesn't sound like you had much faith in her, if you have the doctor already waiting." Raph told him as they began to walk back.

"It was a preparation that is all. It was unlikely that she would return uninjured from a battle such as this." He replied. A few moments later, they were climbing the steps to the bedroom the couple had been sharing. Waiting inside was a dark haired man in his forties. He had a small table setup with supplies. "This is Dr. Thomas." John stepped aside as Don and Katherine were brought in.

Thomas inclined his head. "It is an honor to serve the heir of Tijo." Then he smiled. "Especially, when they return triumphant."

They eased Don down on one side of the bed and Katherine on the other. When the doctor turned in her direction, she shook her head. "Donatello's injures are much more severe than mine."

"Yeah, looks like our bro took the worst of it." Mikey frowned as Donnie grimaced in pain.

Don looked up at Katherine to see her frowning at him with guilt in her eyes. "I would do it a thousand times over, if it meant protecting you." She smiled softly and slipped her hand into his.

The doctor dressed the cut on Don's shoulder and wrapped his chest with a compression bandage. There wasn't much he could do for Katherine, except treat some small scrapes and the cut on her palm. "Alright, the best thing for you two to do now is rest." The doctor ushered everyone through the door.

Leo stopped in the doorway. "We'll be nearby if you need us."

Katherine nodded and the doctor closed the door behind them, leaving the couple alone. She moved up on the bed to look down into Donnie's caramel eyes. "You were right. We were brought together for a purpose." She kissed him and he took in a tight breath.

He stroked her uninjured cheek softly. "I couldn't let him hurt you."

"Thank you." She kissed him again and he felt the familiar electrical tingle spread through his body. Sighing softly, she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around one of his.

Don let out his own sigh as he rested his head against hers. "Sleep." He ordered softly and for once she did so without any objection.

* * *

Don smiled lightly at the children running around with bright colored fags and the people dancing to a happy beat. Beside him, Katherine smiled as well. It seemed a great weight had been lifted off the Tijodyn and she understood it all too well. It had been a little more than a week since they'd entered Pahway. Their injuries were healing quite well and they had already expressed their desire to go home. This would be the last night they would spend here.

Behind them, the rubble of the archway could be seen. It had been one of the first things Katherine had asked them to do – to dismantle the doorway. That way no one could ever get to the seal again. Now, they were all seated at a large banquet table, watching the celebration of their victory. Mikey and Raph were currently stuffing themselves with anything they could get their hands on. Sams sat on their other side laughing at them, while Leo talked with Chresal. On the other side of Katherine sat John telling her stories about her father.

"So, what will happen to your people now that you no longer have to look after Katherine or the seal?" Don asked.

"We will likely move on – rejoin the world beyond these mountains." There had been many discussions among the villagers about that very same thing. Without a purpose to bind them together and to this place, they were free to make their own choices now. "Some may have to learn new trades, but for the most part our skills can be easily integrated back into society."

"I'm glad. I was a little worried about it myself." Katherine confessed. "If I can help in any way, let me know."

"Yes, we'd all be happy to lend your people a hand." Don told him.

Down the table Chresal talked with Leo. "I want to thank you on Warren's behalf and mine. I know coming here was a great disruption to your lives. The world owes you a great debt and Katherine in particular. If there is ever anything I or anyone else can ever do for you, don't hesitate to ask." He looked down the table at their guest of honor. "It still amazes me that he was able to enter Pahway." Chresal had always been told that only those of the bloodline could enter it.

"John believes that Katherine somehow shared some of her magic with him. That and the fact that we're not human is what allowed him to get through." Leo explained.

"Now, with both doorways destroyed no one should ever be able to threaten the seal again." He smiled at his pregnant wife beside him. "It frees us all from our oaths and duties."

As the band began a new song, Don slipped his arm around his love and pulled her close. "I'm so proud of you, Kitten. It was your courage that brought us here and your determination that saved us all." He nuzzled against her ear, while touching the little gold ring on her hand. "I promised you forever and I plan to keep that promise every minute of every day for the rest of my life."

She turned her head to meet his eyes with love, her own hand coming up to touch the other gold ring and chain dangling around his neck. "I'll take every one I can get."

* * *

A/N: Just the epilogue to go! Review if you can - please!


	10. Epilogue

A/N: The epilogue takes place a few months later.

* * *

Raph stretched as he climbed out of bed. Today was a free day. No training or chores. It was a good day for playing basketball, or skateboarding, or playing video games with his brothers. He knew which one Mikey would pick – skateboarding. He'd have to ask Leo and Don what they wanted to do. He stepped down into the common area of the bedroom and frowned. Donnie's bed looked as if it hadn't been slept in. He turned to see Leo sitting on the side of his. "Hey, where's Donatello?"

"Don't you remember? He said they were staying at Katherine's last night."

Raph's frown deepened. "Again?"

Leo glanced at Samantha still sleeping beside him. "I can certainly understand why." He brushed a hand through her mess of blonde curls and smiled. "Sometimes I wish Sams still had her place."

Hurt flickered across Raphael's features. "You mean, you'd do the same thing? Stay at her place most of the time."

Leo let out a heavy sigh. "Raphael, in another month we will be twenty-six years old. We're adults. Sleeping in the same bedroom when you have a significant other is…uncomfortable." He stepped down from his alcove. "Besides, Donatello helps Katherine a lot with her projects. I can see how inconvenient that is to come all the way back here, especially when you have a place up there."

Raph looked away. "I guess you're right."

Leo's hand landed on his shoulder and he looked up. "That doesn't mean we love you or Michelangelo or Master Splinter any less. It just means we're growing up and need a little extra room to grow." They walked towards the living room, where Mikey was seated on the couch munching on a slice of pizza and looking at a comic. "Actually, I've been thinking about running something by you guys."

Mikey looked up. "What's that?"

"Now, this is just an idea right now. But Sams and I have talked about it a lot lately." His brothers watched him expectantly. He drew in a deep breath. This was harder than he thought it was going to be. "You know that place we fixed up for Mondo Gecko that time?"

"Yeah, he moved out of there a long time ago, didn't he?" Raph asked.

"Yeah, like six or seven years ago." Mikey had kept track of his buddy over the years. He was currently living in New Jersey.

Leo ran a hand across his scalp. "We were thinking of fixing it up and moving in there."

Mikey's mouth hung open. But Raphael scowled. "You're seriously thinking about this? You want to move out?"

Leo frowned. "Yes, I am."

"But-but we'd miss you and Sams." Mikey sputtered.

"We'd only be a short walk away. It takes less than five minutes to get there." Leo tried to soothe his overly sensitive little brother.

Raphael's anger boiled to the surface. "You know what, both you and Donatello can go! We'll be just fine without you!"

Leo felt like he'd been slapped. "You know that's-."

"You don't have to make excuses! I get it! You want to _grow_! Then just go!" Raph turned and bolted from the lair.

"Raphael!" Leo called after him. He hadn't meant to hurt his brothers.

"What's going on?" Sams appeared wearing her pajamas. She frowned at the distraught look on the brothers' faces. She moved to Leo's side. "What's wrong?"

Leo's expression held sadness. "I was just trying to tell them about Mondo's old place." He looked at Mikey. "Michelangelo, I wasn't trying to hurt you guys. It's just..."

Mikey shook his head as he glanced at Sams. "You don't have to explain, bro. I get it. I think I'd want some space too, if I had a girl as great as Sams." She blushed and Leo smiled. "I'll miss you guys. But like you said, you won't be that far away."

Sams stepped around Leo to hug Mikey. "Thank you, Michelangelo."

He returned the hug and Leo squeezed his shoulder. "Yeah, thanks for understanding." He sighed. "I just wish Raphael would have at least thought about it before running out of here."

Mikey sighed. "He'll come around, bro. Just let him cool off first."

* * *

Raph grumbled as he walked aimlessly through the sewer tunnels. Leo and Don were being completely irresponsible! They were picking their girls over them! How were they going to function as a family all split up? How would they function as a team?

He growled at himself. That really wasn't the reason he was so upset. It felt like his brothers were just leaving them behind. He was afraid they were going to forget about him and Mikey. The thought of losing his brothers made his heart hurt terribly. He swiped at his face where moister was accumulating.

Footsteps splashing in the water ahead of him alerted him to the person running in his direction. They were hidden in deep shadows and a dark cloak. The person tripped and scrambled back to their feet. They glanced behind them and that's when Raph noticed several shadows moving farther up the tunnel. Their voices' echoed off the brick wall.

"I think it went this way!"

"Hurry up! We can't let it get away!"

"There it is!"

"I've got it!" A dart flew through the air to strike the cloaked stranger in the back.

The way these people kept calling this person an "it" didn't sit well with him. In fact, it made his blood boil, making his bad mood even worse. He raced forward as the person stumbled and began to collapse. He caught them. "Hey, are you alright?"

The hood fell back and he gasped. In his arms, lay Mona Lisa unconscious.

"Did you get it?"

"I think so." The voices and shadows grew closer.

Raphael felt a fire unlike any other spring to life inside him. He growled, lifting her slender body into his arms. For a moment he considered beating the crud out of her pursuers. But her slight weight in his arms made him think twice. If he was hit with one of those dart things, then these people would have both him and her. Her well being was more important at the moment than pounding these guys into the ground.

So, instead he hurried into a side tunnel. Taking several twists and turns to ensure he wasn't followed, he made his way back to the lair. Everyone turned to stare at him standing in the entrance panting with Mona Lisa cradled against his chest. "She's in trouble."

* * *

A/N: Yes, there will be another one! Yaay! So, keep an eye out for it! And don't forget to leave a review!


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